Sharma ban can hit CARIFESTA

By Gaulbert Sutherland

Calling for the restoration of CNS Channel Six to the airwaves, PNCR Leader Robert Corbin vowed yesterday that if the suspension was not lifted there would be “serious protest to make CARIFESTA unmanageable”.

From right are Savitree Sharma, CN Sharma, PNCR Leader Robert Corbin, PNCR Chairman Winston Murray and Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green during the march yesterday.As hundreds of persons gathered at a rally outside the Public Buildings in the late afternoon following a protest march through the streets of the city, Corbin declared that they would seek the intervention of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on this issue and if nothing was done, there would be protests to make the regional arts festival, being hosted in Guyana later this year, “unmanageable”.

As Corbin spoke, the audience cheered, in agreement with him and the opposition leader urged persons to turn out in large numbers at 2 pm on Monday, when they will go to CARICOM Head-quarters to ask for the Secretary-General’s intervention in the matter. Corbin, in addressing the audience declared that if the suspension was not revoked, the party would have a “difficulty” in “cooperating” with CARIFESTA being held here. Guyana is set to officially roll out its slate of activities for CARIFESTA on Wednesday, As speaker after speaker, which included PNCR Chairman, Winston Murray, Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) President, Gillian Burton, CNS Six proprietor, CN Sharma, and others addressed the crowd in the cool of the late afternoon sun on various topics including the rising cost of living, VAT, corruption, the CNS Six suspension, and other topics, they were greeted by cheers from the assembled gathering.

Just a couple of hours earlier, at 3 pm, persons gathered at the corner of D’Urban Street and Mandela Avenue where the march started off some 40 minutes after the scheduled start time. Their chanting of “No Sharma, No CARIFESTA” was a forewarning of Corbin’s later assertions. Marching through D’Urban Street to Louisa Row then along Cummings Street into Middle Street and then to Carmichael Street to Church Street then through Avenue of the Republic to the Public Buildings on Brickdam, the crowd waved their placards and shouted their slogans as they voiced their objections against various issues.

The protest gathering outside Public Buildings yesterday.At Brickdam, Sharma was the first of the speakers after being introduced by PNCR parliamentarian Volda Lawrence.

He spoke about the increasing cost of living declaring that persons including police, doctors, and teachers among others were being underpaid. He commended Corbin for playing a part and organizing the march and to loud cheers he assured the crowd “If you have a problem contact me at Channel Six.

I will be there”. He said that the suspension of his licence for four months was an attempt to financially handicap him and prevent him from moving about and highlighting the people’s problems. He declared that he had the strength of the people and “we will talk later”.

Earlier, during the march, persons carried placards bearing various phrases including ‘Guyanese taxed to death’, ‘Jagdeo don’t respect human rights, how can we unite’, ‘What about the murder of Donna Herod’, ‘Unemploy-ment is too high’, among various others. Corbin and Sharma led the march which was held under threatening grey skies.

Preceded by a banner reading ‘Freedom March against dictatorship, unemployment, crime, VAT and high cost of living, corruption, incompetence and bad governance’, the marchers chanted various slogans including, ‘We want Channel Six’, ‘No justice, no CARIFESTA’, ‘we want freedom’, ‘No justice, no peace’, ‘Free Hinckson now’, ‘Give Sharma he license now’, ‘Run Jagdeo run, Sharma and he people coming’ among various other phrases.

Hailed

The crowd grew larger as persons joined it along the route, including many children. Persons on motorbikes and bicycles found spaces at the head and back of the procession and rode along. It seemed that in some parts of the city a march was unexpected as persons were heard commenting on this.

The lead banner at the march yesterday.Along the route, persona leaned out of their windows and balconies and some shouted encouragement while many including lots of children hailed Sharma. There was some talk among persons walking at the head of the procession about diverting the route but this was not acted upon.

At Brickdam, Lawrence told the crowd that this is a time to battle and “time for us to stand up behind CN Sharma”. To the shout of ‘No Sharma, No CARIFESTA”, she urged that it not only be a slogan or talk. Speaking after her was Murray, who recounted the history that led to the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Broadcasting (ACB) and its functions. He declared that he was willing to debate any government minister or “cohort”, preferably on the state-owned NCN, on the merits or demerits of the CNS Six suspension. He declared that after 15 years in power and after promising a clean, lean and mean government, it was all but that, pointing to the 23 ministers in cabinet, the high earnings of some ministers and corruption.

Using an editorial from the Stabroek News, he listed several cases of corruption including the ‘stone scam’, ‘wildlife fund fraud’, ‘dolphin scam’ and what had happened in each matter. He spoke on several issues including investments, employment, the rising cost of living, VAT and other issues. “Dah man is de right man”, several persons said nodding and shouting their agreement.

To a restless crowd, GTUC President Burton spoke on similar issues including the education system, and the National Insurance Scheme, which she called upon to give pensions one year after retirement. On the multi-stakeholders forum, she declared that after giving their suggestions and ideas, “today we are still to see the process being taken forward”. On the CNS Six suspension she expressed concern that the action placed workers on the breadline.

Addressing the crowd after her was Corbin and he declared that the closure of CNS had nothing to do with the threat to the president’s life but was part of a “continuous pattern” by the administration “to ensure that there is no free press”. He spoke on several other issues and to shouts of yes asked the gathering if they were prepared to continue the exercise. He related that their request for the march to pass through Regent, Wellington and Robb streets was denied by the police and said that they would be applying to march through these very streets on Monday again. He said that if Channel Six was not restored to the airwaves, the party would have a “difficulty with cooperating” with CARIFESTA being held here this year. He urged persons to turn out in large numbers on Monday at 2 pm to go to CARICOM headquarters to present the issue and request the intervention of the Secretary-General. He said that at 10 am on Tuesday, they will go to the Office of the President and following this the people will be informed of further actions.

At the end of the rally, a few employees bearing placards reading ‘Mr. President, please reduce the penalty’, ‘Four month suspension is too harsh’, ‘Mr. President, how will my family eat? I have no job’, spoke briefly and thanked the PNCR and Corbin for organizing the march and rally.

Thanking the people for their support an employee said that they were “still open for business”.