Welcoming the restoration of calm on the Upper East Coast and West Bank of Berbice, PNCR Chair Volda Lawrence today urged the government and the Guyana Police Force to act with urgency to bring to justice those behind the gruesome murders of four young men in recent days.
In a statement, Lawrence also assured that she was resolute in going the full way until justice is served. She however said that protests must be held in a peaceful and civil manner and with respect for human life, dignity and property.
She also said that racism in the country has to be addressed but that this cannot be solved with more racism.
A statement issued by Lawrence follows:
Statement for Immediate Release
11 September 2020
My brothers and sisters from the Upper East Coast of Demerara and the West Coast of Berbice, I am pleased that you have answered my call for peace and calm during this time. We have carried the burden of racism in our country for far too long, it is time that we rid ourselves of this weight and move our country forward.
I stand with you in your call and protest for justice, for our fallen sons of the soil, namely: Orlando Jonas, Joel Henry, Isaiah Henry and Haresh Singh. As we stand up for what is right, we must not find ourselves on the wrong side of the law, lest our message is lost, and our cause is undermined.
Considering all that has transpired, I call on the Government and the Guyana Police Force to act with urgency to bring the perpetrators for these gruesome murders to justice. The families of the victims need closure, their communities need closure, I need closure and Guyana needs to heal. The people will not accept any outcome that is void of justice and we, the people, wish to make this very pellucid. Therefore, the opportunity to deliver justice should not be squandered, to protect and/or hide wicked people from the full brunt of the law.
My brothers and sisters, our protest must not end until justice is served. I am resolute in my stance to go the full mile with you, until we achieve our desired outcome, justice. But we must protest in a peaceful and civil manner, doing so with respect for human life, dignity, and property. Our protest must be solution oriented and not driven by chaos, violence, and destruction. For those that have utilized violence or caused destruction, please refrain from such acts as we seek justice for those who were taken from us.
My fellow Guyanese after all is said and done, we as a people, will have some serious introspection to do, before we can bridge the existing divide in our country, which is driven by racism. Racism cannot be solved with more racism. At the end of the day, we all are sons and daughters of Guyana; we have to live with each other, we still have to travel together, go to school together and work together. And believe it or not we all want the same thing, and that is a better Guyana for all, young and old, rich and poor. We can only achieve this if we do it as one people, united in our vision for Guyana. We all belong to one race, and that is the human race. This is my call for unity.
I thank you.
Mrs. Volda Lawrence,
Chairperson of the People’s National Congress Reform
