Dear Editor,
As I read the story of the murder of gold miner Deon Stoll on October 14, 2019, I recall A. A. Fenty’s article `Guns and jukkers: why is violence all around?’ (Stabroek News, October 4, 2019). Mr Fenty, a self-described PNC activist during the Burnham years, writes “when anti-Jagan forces initiated protests to bring down his 1961 government, it was the start, genesis of today’s anti-law, anti-order indiscipline. The years 1962 – 1964 saw violence and murder by the ordinary folk – essentially racial – and political in character”.
In an earlier article `Many willingly served under Burnham, although…’ (Stabroek News, April 5, 2019) he wrote “Between 1962 to 1964, I was very much PNC-oriented. I was even a “reluctant rioter” when PNC-friendly protesters burnt down commercial Georgetown in February 1962 “acquiring” dozens of shirts during the riotous fray”.
In his article on Guns and jukkers, Mr Fenty continues “The Jagdeo years saw a portion of ‘opposition’ society defying good order which existed long before Jagdeo-Ramotar. Anti-PPP attitudes metamorphosed into general indiscipline, intolerance of other views – whether national or personal. Law-breaking, crime, assaults with guns, knives, jukkers, acid are now “the new normal”.
Prior to assuming power as a coalition in 2015, the AFC and APNU were relentless in their criticism of the PPP government for the escalating violence in the country. In its 2015 election manifesto, the coalition promised to curb violent crimes. Stabroek News article of May 2, 2015 “APNU+AFC promises security plan to curb violent crimes, improve policing” quotes the coalition’s 2015 election manifesto: “No country can develop if its citizens live in constant fear of criminal attack. No family can be healthy if members are fearful and vulnerable. No entrepreneur would invest funds in an environment rife with crime and corruption… Therefore, there is urgent need for the implementation of the long ignored police reform recommendations to ensure that the police become a well-paid and effective agent for serving and protecting the population, rather than an instrument of oppression, as under the PPP,” Guyanese can now judge how well these promises were kept. I doubt the family and friends of Mr Deon Stoll and the many others who were murdered by bandits since the last election would believe the Government has improved security.
Yours faithfully,
Harry Hergash
