The PNCR-1G and its supporters who are lobbying against the impact of the Value Added Tax (VAT) changed the route of a protest march staged yesterday by making a detour west into Regent Street instead of east into Church Street.
The main opposition party took to the streets yesterday to also protest against the planned passing of the casino gambling bill today in parliament as well as to lobby for a decrease in the 16% Value Added Tax.
The protest march supported by a few hundred persons proceeded from the Square of the Revolution at 2:30 pm, headed west into North Road, north into Cummings Street and west into Middle Street before turning south into Camp Street.
Initially intended to head east into Church Street the march instead saw protestors heading north into Regent Street where they turned west and then south into the Avenue of the Republic before congregating at the car park south of St Andrews Kirk on Brickdam. There, various representatives took turns to address the gathering, including politician/broadcaster Chandra Narine Sharma, who himself had organized a march to draw attention to issues surrounding the implementation of VAT on Saturday.
Protestors maintained a peaceful march throughout the afternoon though they defied the police by heading into Regent Street instead of following the original route into Cummings Street.
Holding placards displaying slogans such as: ‘VAT is a government Rat, eating our pay day by day’, ‘Private deals bring Public misery’, ‘16% is too much’, and ‘Casino Gambling promotes Crime’, the protestors chanted along the way.
Gathered at the car park, chairperson of the rally Deborah Backer stated the people’s right to commence the rally at 4 pm rather than 5 pm, according to a letter she read. Apparently the law enforcement authorities had not agreed to a 4 pm start as the rally was considered to be an obstruction.
Backer in her appeal said that the march was for two reasons: VAT and casino gambling. She noted that the Christian community was a significant sector and that the Muslim, Hindu and Bahai communities had also come out firmly against the institution of casino gambling via the bill set to be passed today in Parliament.
She reminded the gathering that last night a vigil was scheduled to be held at the same location while today in the St Andrew’s Kirk compound at 10:30 am another vigil was planned.
A number of persons from a variety of organisations made presentations to the supporters of the cause including Sharma and a Justice for Jermaine representative.
