What is not yet said and yet to be done
DEAR EDITOR,
Having listened to the recent sitting of Parliament it is difficult not to notice the high level of hypocrisy expressed by some opposition members in the National Assembly. Many weeks have passed and suspects have been apprehended in Henry’s murders and confessed, but little progress has been made in the Singh and Chatterpaul murder cases. Despite these facts, APNU + AFC members are demanding justice for Henry’s boys without seeking justice in the murders of Singh and Chatterpaul with the exception of two MPs. Both tried to initiate a discussion involving the young Henry Boys and Haresh Singh and exclude Mr. Chatterpaul. In the many weeks after the murder there was not much weight thrown behind the investigations involving Singh and Chatterpaul. Opposition MP talks about social cohesion without specific care about what has and continues to affect our Indian Community. The hypocrisy is clear and the silence is deafening. APNU + AFC cannot remain a credible option for voters who are outside the African Guyanese Community and those voters who support social cohesion in our society without ensuring justice is served in the murders of Singh and Chatterpaul. The stance taken by some members of the APNU + AFC continues to increase racial segregation in our society. There is no fairness in perspective on justice or any symbolic or credible call of “Justice for All” coming from the general political party and their traditional supporters. It is becoming clearer to everyone where they stand and the deep seed prejudice and hatred that sit with some of the APNU + AFC ranks. It is unfortunate that this is their position and it is now clear that their party is losing relevance to the larger Guyanese population. Where is the same level of enthusiasm and concern to see when the previous President and APNU Leader visited the Henry Family? He is yet to be shown in the murders of Singh and Chatterpaul.
In addition, there is the obvious corruption that is being exposed by the ongoing investigations into the last administration and the support being thrown behind those involved in leadership APNU + AFC also made it clear that the party was losing and in some cases lost its moral compass. It gives the impression that, if re-elected, corruption is to be expected while in office.
At first I thought rigging the election process was an opportunity for the party to clean house and rebuild as suggested in the press, but time is revealing to all Guyanese that the APNU + AFC has no good intentions on several directions and should not be given or trust another opportunity to govern any time soon. New leadership and a new holistic approach to the Guyanese Society are needed for the opposition to regain any credibility before the next election. Unfortunately, I find it hard to believe that this will be possible and credible for the current APNU + AFC without implementing some major changes.
It will tell how the subsequent sittings of Parliament are going and how much real effort and concern is expressed by members of the National Assembly in solving and preventing murders in the Community of India. Any proposals put forward by Parliament must be turned into actions to solve the murders of Singh and Chatterpaul while also preventing any future hate crimes from happening in our society.
Best wishes,
Mr. Jamil Changlee
Chairman
Guyana Cooperative Republicans