Dear Editor,
Allow me to respond to an article captioned ‘Aishalton villagers launch petition for teacher’s removal’ which appeared in Stabroek News dated 7th January, 2015. I am a resident of Aishalton and I wish to make it pellucidly clear that the villagers of Aishalton did not sign on to any petition to the best of my knowledge. What transpired at the Community General Meeting of 5th January, 2015 is that the “disrespecting behaviour” of John Adams was raised by a villager and debated among five or six people who were in Aishalton and known as staunch PPP supporters. There was no vote put to the remaining approximately 130 villagers who in the morning had signed their names in the register to show that they did attend the meeting for the record. However, at the time of this debate there were about sixty to eighty persons left. To date, I have in my possession a copy of correspondence to the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) from the Village Council asking for certain measures to be taken against John Adams. There is another letter being circulated for signatures from residents to petition for the expulsion of John Adams from the community of Aishalton.
While I was not at the meeting due to health reasons, I spoke to some villagers who signed the register and who have strongly indicated that they do not support how the decision was made. This then raises serious questions as to how the names of the residents on the register, together with those who had left the meeting could be used without their knowledge and consent. There is no record to prove how many voted in favour of or against. Mr Regis James, quoted as making a blanket statement that “the public agreed that John Adams be transferred” is totally false and needs to be investigated. Mr James cannot speak for villagers and especially since he is not even a member of the Village Council of Aishalton. He is a PPP installed Community Support Officer (CSO) and a party activist. I therefore denounce his statements as untrue and downright ridiculous.
In your article too, Editor, Toshao Bernard is shamefully quoted as stating, “Adams should be sent back to his hometown in Region 7.” This is totally disrespectful and discriminatory!
Toshao Bernard also is not from Aishalton. Does he think then that it is just to say that he should be sent back to his village for his misbehaviour? Toshao further stated that “it is very shameful for John Adams to be disrespecting the public… He spoil Aishalton good name. He put us on all the news.” What is more shameful though, Editor, is the inability of the Council, headed by Bernard to account for millions of dollars given to the village for various projects. What is also shameful is that this young man’s brave decision to be part of protests calling for respect and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples to our lands and resources which we are using sustainably for our children is now made to suggest that it was wrong for John Adams to be engaged in such an activity.
As for the “daddy” part, I guess anyone can call anyone their daddy if they so wish. I cannot and will not say that President Donald Ramotar is my “daddy.” It is downright shameful and outrageous that the Toshao would want to unwittingly embrace the President in that manner. While we all know respect is earned, many of us are not convinced that respect should be given to a head of state who has not denied that his security personnel inflicted violence on one of us, after the President himself had verbally insulted the young man who was expressing his displeasure about poor governance. The funny issue is that Regis James himself was engaged in a protest last year headed by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs where CSOs were taken to do this, and no one from Aishalton thought this was shameful or questionable. The double standards here clearly demonstrate that politics enabled, condoned and encouraged by the PPP/C are further dividing our once united communities not only here in Aishalton, but all over the country much to the delight of the power-drunk administration of this country. Due to lack of access to current independent information people keep quiet, since they do not have the facts to challenge leaders on half-truths and ‘mis-truths.’ We all know that knowledge is power and this administration has tried to keep away true knowledge from us indigenous peoples. I said before and I will say again, there are followers and there are leaders; unfortunately, based on my experience and conclusion our Toshao is a follower.
Finally I now raise the question as to how it is that the media, (Guyana Times) was able to get hold of confidential information from the personnel files of the Teaching Service Commission which is now being used to distract from the real issue of violence and abuse against our people. At what stage are the investigations, if there are any? Who will ensure that justice is served? I call on my Amerindian brothers and sisters throughout Guyana to rally round in support of our brother and son John Adams, for if it’s him today, it will be you tomorrow!
Yours faithfully, Tony James
Resident of Aishalton
VillageVice-President, APA
