While the GPF’s been rightfully receiving heavy flak for their unprofessionalism, the ceremony “honouring” Policemen killed in the line of duty since 1913 reminds us of the sacrifice they’ve also made. The number’s now 65 since 1913. One suspects that the organisers began their body-count from then because the numbers killed from the GPF’s formation in 1839 to that point could be counted on the fingers of their hands.
But what your Eyewitness found surprising was the two speakers failing to mention our very recent history, when the most Police ranks were murdered in the history of Guyana. In a ten-month period in 2003, for instance, FIFTEEN Policemen were murdered – 30 to 2006!! After all, they heard and read ad nauseam about the Police and “Phantoms” killing 400 black youths – now morphed into 1400! Even the 400 Black youths” killed was debunked by the SN which showed 151 innocent persons were murdered by bandits; 239 persons were killed during confrontations with Police and in “unexplained circumstances” plus the 30 Police!!
With most of their relatives in the audience, wouldn’t they’ve wanted to know why their loved ones were killed by the so-called “Buxton Freedom Fighters” formed around five prison escapees?? Don’t the Police deaths deserve an equal-opportunity mention? One hears from the partisans of the “400” about Policemen acting outside of their remit and becoming judges, juries and executioners. But in the absence of any comment by the Police reps about the criminals among the 400, one’s left to conclude they were innocent choir-boys out picking daisies!
Such a one-sided narrative implicitly and explicitly demonises the Police, and has to demotivate the conscientious ones from vigorously performing their duties. Is this a factor that contributes to the extraordinary number of law enforcement officials who have been caught recently making “runnings”? Another missing part of the narrative is what happened to all those youths who were willingly recruited into the services of the “Freedom Fighters”? Like being lookouts and snitches.
Are they now all grown up and continuing the traditions they were exposed to? Are we now still reaping the harvest from the poisoned tree planted in Buxton and like Agricola etc? If your Eyewitness were the Top CoP, he’d have invited Basil Williams and ex-CoP Winston Felix to explain their (in)famous taped conversation about the Agricola Massacre. He’s sure the families of the dead Policemen from that era would’ve liked to know exactly what went down there…since the motivations were the same.
But, instead, we had what was just another “heading off” of the Guyanese people from discovering the roots of the cancer, which is still metastasising and lurking to strike when deemed necessary.
Like the W Berbice and Mon Repos Ethnic Riots.
…AFC’s charm
Well, seems that to overcome its “Dead Meat” status – not to mention the stench!! – the AFC’s about to go a-courting!! It announced it’ll be divorcing its PNC “partner” (nowadays one has to be gender neutral!!) this year end when their pre-nup agreement expires. Your Eyewitness wonders whether it’ll be allowed to keep the property it acquired during the marriage – what was it? 9 seats?? But then again, the marriage might never have been consummated, since Nagamootoo got shafted immediately after they won in 2015!! But he seemed to’ve disappeared from the scene – unless he’s playing possum.
So what’s the field like for the AFC – since they announced they’ll be casting their net among the “small parties”?? The first thing that came to your Eyewitness’s mind when he heard that statement was the said small parties must’ve immediately started running for the hills!! In the first case, most – excepting ANUG/LJP – were unable to muster even a few hundred votes.
Looks like the Dead meat’s gonna rot some more!!
…mother of Parliaments
Tory Minister Lia Nici insists that Labour Dep Leader Angela Rayner (and front bencher) opened her legs in House of Commons to distract Boris.
As if he weren’t already distracted!! But then again…!!
