As he awaits word on the investigation of a presidential guard he alleges slapped him for heckling President Donald Ramotar at a meeting, Aishalton teacher John Adams says he remains committed to see the matter through to the end.
“It has been nearly two months and I am still waiting to hear from the police but I am patient and remain resolved to see this matter out to the end,” Adams told Stabroek News via phone.
Adams had reported that after he heckled Ramotar at a December 3, 2014 meeting at Aishalton, he was slapped by a presidential guard. He complained to the police about the alleged assault but it is unclear if this matter is being investigated.
Weeks later, a recording surfaced from the same meeting where a person, said to be President Ramotar, was overheard berating Adams. “You don’t know anything ’bout Jagdeo; if he been hey he might have slap yuh cause yuh stupid,” the person says.
Adams said since the assault was made public, he has received overwhelming support from the public and the two main opposition parties. He said the support he receives motivates him to not just give up and let the story die. As a result, he makes regular checks with police in Region 9 on the status of the investigation although every time he is told that the matter was being looked into by the police force’ s headquarters in Georgetown.
He also explained that there have been mixed reactions to him by villagers but the majority keeps assuring him that they will stand by his side in any event and keeps encouraging him to not let the matter distract him.
“The majority of villagers, except the handful of PPP supporters, tell me don’t worry and they will support me, you know…,” he said. “At school, everything is normal and life here generally normal,” he added.
Since the controversy, some Aishalton residents have called for action against Adams. They have signed a petition seeking to have him transferred, while saying his behaviour at the meeting was among his “misbehaviours,” such as protesting.
“We do not appreciate this type of behaviour in our community… he has put our village in the media and the public agree that he be transferred,” village council member Regis James had told Stabroek News.
Bernard Conrad, Aishalton’s Toshao, had said Adams should not have heckled the president because it was disrespectful and he believes the man should be sent back to his hometown in Region 7.
“It is very shameful for John Adams [to] be disrespecting the public. He is from Region 7, not from here. He spoil Aishalton good name. He put us on all the news,” Conrad had said.
“You expect someone to respect the daddy and His Excellency is the daddy of the country. Adams [is] wrong. He is not put [to] judge any man on the earth. He must be like us; he must respect the Toshao, he must respect elders,” he added.
However, others have condemned the attempt to force Adams out, saying it was politically-motivated.
Former Toshao Tony James said not many people knew of the widespread coverage of the incident in the national media and there were a number of persons who object to the action being taken by the village council.
“The people who actually made the decision [to launch the petition] are [PPP] party supporters and [were] encouraged by a high regional official who was there,” he said, while adding that the councillor who spoke on the issue had a longstanding problem with Adams. “It’s entirely a personal vendetta they have against this man,” he said.
As it relates to engaging in protests, he said Adams was not the only one who had participated in a protest. He noted that Community Service Officers also participated in protests in Georgetown but no one said anything. According to the former village leader, the action was tantamount to shuttering freedom of expression and the entire community is not in agreement.
The former Toshao also said the matter should have been put to a vote. He noted there was no consensus and there are over 400 voting people in the village.
