President Irfaan Ali yesterday said the government will be employing “the full force of the laws” to end the promotion of racial hate on social media.
In a press statement yesterday, Ali said that he was unequivocally committed to governing the country and its people, regardless of political affiliation or ethnic origin.
“It deeply grieves me, therefore, when I see almost every day on social media, the degree of race baiting, racial hate and racial hostility which pervades the social media platforms. I want you to know that it is my determination to do everything within my power and to use all the laws at my disposal, to put an end to this behaviour, which can only result in dividing our country and our people,” he declared.
Following the murders of Joel and Isaiah Henry in West Berbice, racial tensions have been inflamed in several areas. Several persons, including political leaders and one member of the Ethnic Relations Commission, have been accused of making statements which incite racial hatred, and violent protests have taken place in villages in West Berbice.
Ali emphasised that such behaviour is wholly unacceptable to him both as a president and as a person and his government will not tolerate it.
He reminded that while freedom of expression is guaranteed by the constitution as a fundamental right and freedom, it does not relate or extend to hate speech or other expressions, in whatever form, capable of inciting hostility or ill-will against any person or class of persons.
“Such conduct, publications and utterances constitute grievous criminal offences under the Racial Hostilities, Cybercrime and other similar penal legislation and the State will not hesitate to resort to these provisions in our laws in appropriate circumstances,” he said stressing that he had spoken with Attorney General Anil Nandlall and directed him to ensure that the full force of Guyana’s laws is employed and is applied to those who pursue criminal behaviour.
