Dear Editor,
On Friday, August 24, about 7.30 pm, I watched a call-in programme aired on RCA 8 called ‘Let’s Talk Essequibo’ hosted by Mr Romel Roopnarine. I would be surprised if that programme is being paid for by taxpayers’ money, because if you are going to have persons hosting programmes where the host is clearly doing the bidding of a particular political party, then the air time and all other expenses which are incurred must be borne by that party.
However, I met Mr Roopnarine the following morning at Supenaam, and I reminded him of a request I made to have me as a guest on one of his programmes, because I believe that I know the arithmetic of Region Two far better than he does, and having the experience of being a second term Councillor representing the Alliance for Change at what is supposed to be the highest decision-making body for the region, (the Regional Democratic Council), I could be of great assistance to him and also the viewers and callers. However, from his utterances I gathered my request may not be granted, but he also indicated to me that the programme and other expenses associated with it are borne by him.
Mr Roopnarine spent more than three-quarters of his time talking about the Linden protest, more especially the protesters and opposition parties whom he tried to demonize, but he did not say a word indicating to viewers that during that protest three protesters namely, Ron Somerset, Shemroy Bouyea and Allan Wilson were shot and killed, and more than twenty others wounded by the police while they were exercising their constitutional rights.
He was critical of the AFC Leader Mr Ramjattan, whom he felt should not have gone to Linden before, during or after the protest. Well, the AFC has a history of being in solidarity with any group of protesters in any region once we are convinced that the protest is legal, peaceful and that it is for a just cause.
I can remember that after the shooting to death and wounding of several persons, there were some incidents which were totally uncalled for, including the burning of the school which, according to Mr Sharma Solomon on Plain Talk of Sunday, August 28 was done by rogue elements who was identified and handed over to the police.
The AFC Leader along with senior party officials visited Linden and condemned the destruction of property using strong language, and denounced any illegal action. This and similar actions by the combined opposition were never mentioned.
All Mr Roopnarine was stressing was that the protesters were ill advised by certain persons, and that protest should not have taken place. And then, as if to rub salt into the wounds of the people of Linden, the question he had for them was, if they were better off now than before the protest began. Well he could not have insulted them more than that.
I have followed events as they unfolded in many countries, such as those in Europe, and such a question, no reporter or journalist would think of asking protesters.
Yours faithfully,
Archie Cordis
AFC Councillor
Region 2
