It is unfortunate that media reports are being carried about a Police arrest of me and the accuracy of such a report was not verified or validated. It should be stated clearly, that I was never arrested by the Police and therefore could not have been released. This information could have been corroborated by contacting me or the Police E Division. The source of the information of me being arrested and released is not only malicious but seems driven by intent to further discredit me in the eyes of the public as someone who is only capable of a street fight for justice.
As a politician and citizen of Guyana who is fully aware of what it is to be a victim of state aggression and other, and as one who is committed to sacrifice my time and energies toward securing the rights of the people of Linden/Region 10 and all Guyanese, particularly our vulnerable women folk, I am not against using every constitutional measure at my disposal to fight to protect these rights.
As far as I am aware there is no law in my country preventing anyone from heckling any government official or politician. Our right to shout or speak (heckle) at a public meeting is enshrined in the right to freedom of speech. Unfortunately these freedoms continue to be violated in our beautiful country and more so in Linden where a vindictive government has continued to deny us access to state media and the media that was gifted to the people of Linden by Greens Construction even though they agreed to return it in the 21st August 2012 Agreement with Region 10 Regional Democratic Council
This leaves myself and the people of Linden/Region 10 with no alternative but to respond and express ourselves within our community on issues that affect us whenever opportunity arises. It was Mr. Juan Edghill, government functionary, who has used the state media in Linden to verbally abuse me and the people of Linden. We have no access, no opportunity for other forms of response in Linden. Mr. Edghill is no gilded horse to the people of Linden and therefore the people of Linden are not in any way obliged to respectfully listen to him when he comes to address them.
The right to heckle will be upheld in Linden/Region 10. And it is this right that I supported in representing one of my fellow Lindeners who was arrested by the police. Her arrest brings to the fore concerns of the people about the widespread police intolerance that is being encouraged as a means of violating the rights of the people of Linden. As an opposition Member of Parliament I call on the Commissioner of Police, Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Clement Rohee (though that might be a waste of time), the Human Rights association, my fellow politicians and the people of Guyana to denounce the effort and intolerance of freedom of expression in Linden and Guyana.
It is instructive that some, even those who I least expect, seek to use the issue between myself and General Secretary Oscar Clarke, PNCR as a yardstick to judge my behaviour at any given time and to condemn my struggles to bring respect to women and to end the domination of a people and the violation of human rights and dignity in my beautiful country. It is also instructive that persons are hasty to condemn me in a society where there is no respect for human rights, dignity and the rule of law.
Further, even as I am condemned, it is noted that the visit of the coalition leaders to the world’s leading democracy (USA) was not without organised and disruptive heckling, not only outside but inside the private building rented for the event. The coalition’s supporters also counter protested the government organised protestors and engaged in heckling. Would the coalition’s supporters heckling response be deemed “counterproductive”? It is noted as per report that the Leader of the Opposition had to take a back entrance to avoid the government organised protestors, or should I say hoodlums and ghetto people.
IT IS TIME that Guyanese stop demonising those who are forced to use whatever legitimate means they have at their disposal to be heard. IT IS TIME that we stop condemning those who exercise democratic rights
The Linden issue will not deter me in my efforts since I am prepared to use all available legal and democratic means to fight any force that threatens me and those who elected me to be their representative. In this regard, I claim no unique courage for history is filled with women such as me and countless men, who in their struggles though defiled were able to make a difference in the lives of many.
