Dear Editor,
Demerara Waves reported in a news item on June 23 that Minister Rohee had announced that police officers would not get their full leave because of the ‘political climate’ in the country. According to the news report Minister Rohee justified this decision by saying that Guyana is currently in a “potentially delicate period of national security”; that “We have just come out of the elections”; that the country is in a mood where certain things are not settled in parliament; and that “There is a lot of talk about snap elections.”
I believe the comments were made to do two things: first to conjure up fear and anxiety in the nation by using language which would create a certain psychological mindset among PPP/C constituents; and secondly, to trigger a certain kind of reaction from the opposition and the wider Guyanese society. I wonder if the opposition parliamentary parties are aware of what constitutes this “period of delicate national security.” If they don’t it might be a good question for Minister Rohee to answer at the next sitting of the National Assembly. The representatives of the people must know of this grave national security threat that looms over their lives and those of the people they represent.
On his point that we have just had an election, the fact is we are more than half a year into Donald Ramotar’s presidency and yet the Minister is telling us that we have just come out of an election. When does Mr Ramotar‘s honeymoon period end? He has promised many things which would be done in his first year, and doesn’t that first year count from day one when he got the job? The number four point I believe, is the PPP/C’s biggest auction item which they are hoping to sell. Note that most of the leading members of the PPP/C party and government have taken time out to attempt to lure the nation into this snap elections plot.
The President had his say; the Attorney General Anil Nandlall had his say; Mr Ralph Ramkarran gave his comments and practically all the PPP/C budget-cut presenters hinted at the PPP/C desire to call snap elections. But as I have said before, the people will reject them soundly this time around.
What was very strange is that while making the same announcement the Minister indicated that it would be unreasonable for four top cops to all take leave at the same time. Now this I believe might be reasonable cause for asking officers to split their leave, so why did Mr Rohee not just state this as the reason? The answer is that this would negate the opportunity to ensnare the country in the snap elections plot mentioned earlier.
The Minister of Home Affairs is trying to cause anxiety in the nation, and he should be held accountable.
Yours faithfully
Lurlene Nestor
