President Donald Ramotar in a televised statement yesterday afternoon blamed the Opposition for the disturbances at Agricola on the East Bank of Demerara on Thursday and called the violence that erupted “well-planned and orchestrated against many innocent people and unsuspecting commuters.”
He said that thousands of people, including children, babies and the elderly were affected, “having to spend more than five hours on the roadway while this well-orchestrated violence” was unleashed. “Vehicles were toppled and damaged, and even burnt. The Police were viciously attacked. Images on our television screens showed some thugs kicking and lashing out at the police,” he said.
“The Opposition AFC/APNU must bear full responsibility for these actions. It is very unfortunate that the Opposition descended to this level at a time when the Commission of Inquiry (into the Linden killings) is going on. They are showing a great disrespect for procedures and for law and order.
They are not waiting for the results of the work of the Commission,” the President said.
Commending the Guyana Police Force, he said that they showed a “high level of professionalism.”
“They displayed great restraint, firmness and resolve in the face of great provocation and hostility,” President Ramotar said.
“The protestors, many of whom were criminals, robbed scores of people and many of them were attacked and beaten in that vicinity and at the Georgetown Ferry Stelling, where many people had to go to use the boats to get across the river,” he said.
He charged that the opposition tried desperately to blame the events on Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon’s remarks. “However, it should be noted that their protest started days before, and the ultimatum given by Nigel Hughes and Moses Nagamootoo had run out Wednesday at midnight,” the President said.
He expressed solidarity with the policemen who were injured and with those who were beaten and robbed. “It is important to note that whenever the economy is moving along, the opposition seems to find some excuse to orchestrate protests, most of which are characterized by violence and robbery,” he said.
“It is clear that they do not care about the damage their actions are doing to the image of our country. I wish to state very clearly that the Government will uphold law and order in our society,” he said.
“I join with all decent-minded people in Guyana in condemning this sort of behaviour and the violence which is being used as a political tool by the AFC/APNU connection.
Guyanese people must express their intolerance to the behaviour of the political opposition in this regard,” President Ramotar declared.
