Dear Editor,
LINSEED (Linden Supporting Efforts for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities) expresses deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives on the evening of July 18 when police opened fire on peaceful protesters on the Mckenzie-Wismar Bridge. Among those who lost their lives was Shemroy Bouyea, a cognitively challenged young man.
The organization expresses deep hurt and regret at the reckless way in which police shot into the crowd. On that day at least one blind member of its group and two deaf citizens of the Linden community were among those exercising their democratic right of free expression.
This organization, as one of its objectives is advocating the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in all aspects of community dialogue and development.
The group is shocked that the police, an entity whose mandate is protection of society’s citizens would endanger the lives of hundreds of innocent men, women and children during a legitimate protest.
LINSEED lost millions of dollars in hardware (furniture, computers, printer, television and other devices and equipment) in the aftermath of the shootings which resulted in the destruction by fire of the Linmine Office Complex where its office was housed. However, the group’s immediate concern is for the loss of lives and for the injured, since every individual’s life is priceless compared to computers and chairs.
Currently the group is in the process of training ten community members to work with persons with disabilities using the community based rehabilitation programme. As part of its fundraising efforts the group held a hot dog sale at the end of June and embarked on an Introduction to Portuguese class in early July. Members of LINSEED look forward to regrouping as quickly as possible in order to realize their work plan for 2012.
LINSEED was registered as an NGO on August 14, 2011 and has been renting space from the LINMINE secretariat since 2010. The members of LINSEED will continue on their journey to achieve the vision of empowering all persons with disabilities to reach their maximum potential and take their rightful place in society.
To this end the support of the corporate members of society, the diaspora and the wider Guyanese community is solicited.
Yours faithfully,
Colin Ault, Chairman
Gloria Garraway, Secretary
June Julien, Assistant
Secretary/Treasurer
