Bharrat must step aside!

KN-PAGE ONE COMMENT

This newspaper understands the anger and concern being vented by ordinary citizens in predominantly East Indian communities of the East Coast following the massacre of last Saturday. The people’s hurt is genuine.
However, this newspaper is convinced that political elements aligned to the ruling party have also been instigating some of these protests. The people of the East Coast and further afield should not allow themselves to be manipulated by political instigators who wish to dabble in gimmickry so as to divert attention from the inadequacies of the Government in confronting the security threat now facing the country. It is not only politically irresponsible but smacks of the worst type of moral reprehensibility the human mind can comprehend.
We reiterate for emphasis -- political opportunists and immoral spin doctors from the ruling establishment have devised a strategy to prolong the tyre-burning protest in order to deflect the concentration of the Guyanese people from demanding that the Government of Guyana, which won an election mandate to direct the affairs of this nation, put an end to bestial savagery and uncivilized violence from animalistic gunmen who are presently terrorizing an entire country.
It says nothing good for the Government of Guyana when citizens tune in to NCN and see a running strip urging the entire Guyanese population to be on guard. Is this country in a state of civil war? It is not. So the point is that a band of terrorist criminals, numbering about thirty, can force the Government of a country to warn the entire land to be on the lookout. We say most emphatically that this is a dereliction of duty on the part of the political elite that is in charge of this nation.

The political hands instigating these protests desperately want to take the rap off the Government for its consistent failure to bring peace to Guyana because the Government has been exposed for its incredible incompetence. We ask, in all sincerity, how will protests such as what took place over the weekend into yesterday solve the dilemma of the East Indian community, who for too long have borne the brunt of acts of violence and terror?
Will these protests force those that slaughtered the Lusignan 11 to surrender?
The real issue is not about protesting by blocking the main roadways and by committing damage to private property. These may bring attention to the need for justice, but we believe it is diverting attention from the need to go after those responsible for Saturday’s slaughter of eleven innocent citizens and the killing of a member of the military’s elite unit, the Special Forces. This is unacceptable. The Guyanese people should reject this ugly descent into political opportunism of the worst type.
Those guilty of these crimes will be brought to justice and the threat they represent neutralized only if there is the requisite will at the highest levels of this government. We are not satisfied this exists.
Instead of protesting by blocking the roadways and damaging public property, the people should therefore be calling on their leaders to retreat from band-aid solutions and be forceful and resolute in confronting this challenge. If the leaders do not have what it takes to get the job done, they should step aside and make way for those with leadership fortitude and courage. We urge that the entire Guyanese population join us in this call. The time has come for all of us to ditch diplomatic language and speak to the Guyana Government for forceful changes.
The Government must demonstrate that it is prepared to confront the forces of evil. The President of Guyana should issue the appropriate instructions, and he must be prepared to act if these are not followed or results not forthcoming in a timely manner.
The time for pussyfooting is over. It is now time to deal with this threat; to root it out once and for all so that all Guyanese can live in safety. We end with the belief that if, in the present circumstances, the present leaders cannot show this nation results, then we they should give way to others who are prepared to show leadership qualities so that Guyana can be saved.
Peace be upon Guyana!