Dear Editor,
Guyana’s national image has always suffered from selective enforcement of laws and regulations. This issue occurs when state officials such as police officers, prosecutors or regulators exercise enforcement discretion. They selectively use their powers and authorities to choose whether or how to enforce or punish a person or entity that has violated the law. Guyana, already severely plagued by severe economic, political and ethnic divisions, this legal abuse presents a considerable threat to the rule of law and democracy. This runs counter to the government’s stated policies to counter the divisions that recently sidelined the country for almost a year.
As a case in point, the Giftland Group has been subjected to unprecedented selective enforcement of laws and regulations and even harassment by the Guyana Police Force and other regulatory agencies. This was highlighted on Christmas Eve when members of the police closed the public access road at 9.30 PM, leaving thousands of shoppers stranded. At the same time, a nearby large public fete was advertised and allowed to operate until the wee hours of the morning. The same violation of the COVID-19 regulations routinely occurs at hotels, night clubs, and brothels in and around Georgetown. The Giftland Mall abides by the regulations, yet the Giftland Mall and its concessions are continuously singled out for selective enforcement and police harassment. The Guyana Police Force visits to force closure of the Mall shops as early as 7 PM and 8 PM, although the curfew for closing is 9.30 PM.
Under the new division commander and Sergeant at the Turkeyen Police Station, this selective harassment has increased. On Saturday night members of the Police Force proceeded to arrest one person from each of the three Mall Restaurants. One from the Temp Restaurant at 9.00 PM and one each from the Boardroom and Level Restaurants, which were all closed at 9.00 PM and emptied by 9.30 PM. We must emphasize that none of these concessions were in breach of any laws or regulation, this was just vindictive and spitefully done. Meanwhile, other hotels and night-clubs remained open until the wee hours of the morning.
We have reported this unfair and unethical treatment to the authorities and business organizations. However, there must be sufficient and responsive will by the politicians to maintain fair and equitable conduct of business, free of continued harassment by the Force and other regulatory agencies. We are now publicly and kindly requesting that the Home Affairs Minister steps in and ensures that all Guyanese businesses, and our individual patrons are treated with equality. The Giftland Mall has no objections to curfews or regulations, once they are fairly applied and enforced across the board. We have been harassed on countless occasions and we wish only for these actions to cease. This in no way reflects in the tremendous works being done by the Government, for which we have nothing but praise.
Yours faithfully,
Roy Beepat
Chairman,
The Giftland Group
