General Secretary of the People’s Nation-al Congress Reform (PNCR), Amna Ally on Tuesday gifted a new butchery building to Jamal and Latchmin Azeez.
A release said that the donation was done on behalf of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU),
The Azeezes who previously operated a butchery in a smaller building on the same property located at Bush Lot, Mahaica-Berbice (Region No. 5), were the victims of what the APNU release said was politically motivated arson on March 20th.
The larger and more modern structure which costs around two million dollars, is as a result of contributions by APNU and several Guyanese both locally and overseas. The release said that the new facility which was renamed, “The Good Life Butchery”. It is 90% complete and just needs to be outfitted with water, electricity and a small bridge.
The General Secretary of the PNCR also handed over a meat scale to the husband and wife, to be used for their business. She informed them that as a result of the current conditions regarding the pandemic, COVID-19, she was unable to deliver a freezer which needs to be uplifted from a city store when it reopens its doors.
Referring to the burning of the building, she said: “I trust that this is not going to happen to anyone again because this is not good enough in our country, we have to be able to live together regardless of our political differences… nobody must believe because you don’t support my party I must destroy you. My message to the Guyanese people is that democracy must prevail; every individual has a right to choose whichever party they want to support”.
Proprietor of the butchery, Latchmin Azeez expressed her sincere gratitude to the APNU and those who contributed through donations and otherwise to rebuild her business.
The Azeez family has operated the butchery at the Bush Lot location for the past ten years. Azeez said she strongly hopes that the attitude of the perpetrators will change.
“I wish for them to humble themselves, educate themselves and know that we are all human beings, we grew up together here in Bush Lot, I have nothing against anybody, it’s just that my political views are different and I don’t see that as a reason for them to want to victimise me in this way,” Azeez said.
