Dear Editor,
I ask everybody in the media and this society if Minister Khemraj Ramjattan can do his job to uphold law and order, what about Minister Amna Ally, the senior Minister of Social Protection, and Minister Keith Scott, who is the political head of the Department of Labour?
If the AFC component of the coalition can do this, what has happened to the APNU component of the coalition? Is there no discussion on this matter that one can say to the other, ‘why not resolve it?’ What is the hindrance to the resolution?
Yesterday’s altercation among the Police, workers and residents in Aroaima did not have to happen. These are workers, these are citizens of Guyana. All they are fighting for; all they are asking for is for the Rule of Law to be applied. Is that asking for too much?
All over the world history shows people fighting for the Rule of Law. Some have given their lives for it. It is the Rule of Law that gives us peace, that allows us to peacefully co-exist nation to nation, community to community, people to people. It is already written; these workers are not fighting to have it written they are fighting to have it upheld.
Are we going to have a repetition of 1999 when unarmed striking public servants were brutally gunned down by state police at the John Fernandes Wharf, many who today still carry pellets in their bodies?
Are we going to have a repetition of 2012 when the people of Linden were brutally gunned down, many injured and which resulted in the death of three young men – Shemroy Boyea, Allan Lewis and Ron Somerset?
Are we going to have this when all bauxite workers are doing is standing up for their rights? Are we going to have this? Are the people of Guyana going to allow this?
This government has an opportunity to avoid confrontation by moving this matter to arbitration. All it requires is arbitration. Since last year August the Guyana Bauxite & General Workers Union has been asking for the parties – the BCGI management and Union – to move to arbitration, to allow the processes in the Grievance Procedure to work. This is a legal process and it must be allowed to work.
This government is being held accountable today and must withstand scrutiny.
I have been advised that the Police are in the process of mobilising the Riot Squad to move in on the protesting workers and supporting residents in Aroaima.
Whilst I understand the importance of upholding the Rule of Law, what bothers me is when those who are elected to serve and protect, demonstrate that the laws are only applicable to the working class people and only the poor people will suffer in the process of upholding same.
I will be in Aroaima and I am inviting the media to be present.
Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis