by Randy Gopaul
The recent alleged acid attack on school children is a horrific crime, one that should unite the nation in fury and demand swift justice. But in Guyana, where political manipulation is an art form, we must ask: Why now? And who benefits?
The PPP government has some critical questions to answer.
1. Why Was “Live in Guyana”, Allegedly Run by a Sitting Minister from the Office of the President, the First to Break the Story? and we should note that the headline was very clear about identify Afro-Guyanese attackers.
The speed with which this pro-government propaganda platform sensationalized the attack raises eyebrows. Was this tragedy merely breaking news, or a carefully timed diversion from the national multiethnic outrage over the shameless injustice in Adrianna’s case? The same political operatives who dragged their feet as the nation cried out for justice for that little girl are now falling over themselves to market this new horror. Why is the Guyana Police Force (GPF) not leading this investigation? Why instead are ministers leading the communications charge on this? Is this a political issue?
2. Why Are Ministers Priya Manickchand and Vindhya Persaud, who Were Silent for days when Adrianna was missing and her parents were crying out for help, now aggressively pushing this racial narrative?
Where was their moral outrage when Adrianna was murdered and the system failed her? Now, suddenly, they are everywhere, performatively concerned, grieving, and strategically amplifying this tragedy. Is it genuine concern, or a desperate bid to manufacture sympathy for a government under fire?
3. Why Aren’t the Cameras Across Guyana Being Used to Identify the Culprits?
This regime has spent millions on surveillance, boasting of its crime-fighting capabilities. So where is the footage? Where are the arrests? If this attack had been politically convenient for the PPP, say, if the victims fit a certain narrative, would we already have a neatly packaged suspect? Find the suspects Police Commissioner?
4. Why Do African People Allow Themselves to Be Used as Pawns in the PPP’s Dirty Games?
Let’s be blunt, No rational person believes the PNC or any opposition group would gain from stoking racial violence. The only party that thrives on ethnic fear, the only one that depends on scaring its base back into the fold with tales of racial boogeymen, is the PPP. And yet, time and again, a handful of Black faces are trotted out to do the regime’s dirtiest work. When will they realize they are being used as expendable tools in a game they will never win?
The Nation Must Demand Answers! This horrific issue is not just about acid attacks. This is about a government that is willing to traumatize young children, engage in evil actions and do anything to hold onto power. They have mastered the art of distraction, division, and deception. The police must find the perpetrators now, truly find them, not just deliver the usual politically convenient scapegoats.
But more than that, Guyanese must wake up. The PPP does not care about any of our children, not Adrianna, and not these young alleged acid victims, not unless their suffering can be spun for political gain.
We cannot let them get away with it.
