WIN General Secretary and parliamentarian Odessa Primus has called on supporters to consider business closures and staying away from work as forms of protest, while urging a large turnout outside the Georgetown High Court on Monday, November 2, in support of opposition leader Mohamed.
Speaking at a candlelight vigil on Sunday, November 1, Primus said participation should extend beyond street demonstrations, particularly for people who feared retaliation or could not leave their homes because of family responsibilities.
“Protest does not necessarily always have to be people coming out into the streets,” she said, proposing that supporters “close your businesses, stay home from work” and take other action that would disrupt the normal flow of business to ensure their voices were heard.
Primus argued that the concerns surrounding Mohamed’s detention should matter to Guyanese across political lines. She accused the government of victimisation and said some citizens, including supporters of the governing People’s Progressive Party, were afraid to express dissatisfaction because they feared consequences for their livelihoods.
She urged supporters to stop treating calls for public action as instructions for other people, pointing to the gap between expressions of support on social media and attendance at demonstrations.
“It shouldn’t be a y’all need to take to the streets. It should be we need to take to the streets,” Primus said.
She maintained that the numbers liking and sharing calls for protest should be reflected in public participation, arguing that sustained pressure was necessary to challenge what she described as continuing disrespect and victimisation.
Primus also expressed confidence in Mohamed’s ability to challenge the government politically and appealed to supporters to stand with him during his detention. She said the situation should be viewed as a concern for the wider country rather than one confined to a political party or an individual family.
Returning repeatedly to the planned court gathering, she said people were pooling resources to travel from communities including Bartica, Linden and Lethem. She added that further information would be shared about activities in the days ahead.
The parliamentarian thanked those who had circulated flyers, contacted supporters and provided transportation to the vigil. She described the assistance as evidence of growing solidarity and urged participants to maintain their involvement in the actions planned for the coming days.
