Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 26, 2015 Letters
DEAR EDITOR,
Recent comments made by President Ramotar regarding Courtney Crum-Ewing must be rejected, denounced and condemned by all right-thinking Guyanese. It is one thing for a man to be assassinated, but to attempt to vilify him and assassinate his character amounts to killing him twice.
According to a KN report dated 3/25/2015 and captioned “Crum-Ewing was more a nuisance than a threat – President Ramotar” the president is reported to have made a number of comments, which I believe are insensitive and inflammatory.
Those of us who have been monitoring the PPP/C’s reactions to situations of this nature would find Ramotar’s comments consistent with what can be considered an instituted and preferred strategy by that party to discredit the character and names of young black men wantonly gunned down in the streets.
We have seen this strategy played out to its fullest during the infamous 2002-2004 crime spree, where almost every black victim slain by the death squad was either labeled a criminal or connected to the underworld enterprise. Unfortunately, Mr. Ramotar and the PPP have not learned the lessons of the past.
With respect to Crum-Ewing, the world knows that he was assassinated while he was in the community of Diamond urging people to become involved in a most democratic undertaking, that is, to ensure they turn out and vote in the May 11 elections.
The fact that he was urging them to vote for the APNU+AFC coalition is immaterial; it was a legitimate expression of his democratic right. The point that we must never overlook or take for granted is that Courtney Crum-Ewing, this brave patriot, was assassinated as he was pursuing a very noble cause.
He was slain by cowards and agents of the enemy of democracy while he was encouraging Guyanese to exhibit great citizenship by engaging in the local political process.
So, for Mr. Ramotar, the President of Guyana, to claim that Crum-Ewing was a nuisance for promoting participatory democracy is very disrespectful to the intelligent people of this country, the family of Crum-Ewing, and the memory and legacy of this fearless young soldier.
Mr. Ramotar ought to be ashamed of the fact that his government or his party, the PPP, did not have the decency to offer words of sympathy to Crum-Ewing’s family or show respect for democracy by turning up at his funeral or to one of the many public events held in his honour.
Let us not forget that this brilliant young man once served as one of our own military officers who took a pledge to serve and protect us. He has given valuable public service and died in service. For this any government should be grateful.
The president must, therefore, be called out for attempting to liken Crum-Ewing to criminals. Criminals whom this regime has been incapable of keeping in check. Crum-Ewing’s only crime seems to have been that of promoting democracy and protesting the unbecoming behaviour of the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall.
If these are the things that make him a criminal then I say to Mr. Ramotar that he and his party belong on another planet.
For Ramotar to also equate the “Blackie” funeral scenario to that of Crum-Ewing’s exposes the attitude of the PPP towards the slaying of black men. For those who might have forgotten, Blackie was shot while he had his hands up and was surrendering.
According to the law, a man is innocent until proven guilty. Yes, there were a number of allegations against Blackie, however the law requires that those allegations be proven in a court of law. Those in authority had the opportunity to take Blackie into custody and bring all the charges necessary against him, but they chose to execute him.
According to some, this was done to remove the likelihood of information coming out which might have implicated the government of the day in many of the schemes Blackie was alleged to have been involved in. So, Blackie might have been killed to protect the regime that ordered he be killed rather than captured.
The late President Hugh Desmond Hoyte, SC was right to point out to the nation that Blackie had a right, under the law, to a fair trial, but instead he was slain by the state even as he surrendered. Even the most notorious of terrorists have this right.
For the government to stick to a pattern of claiming that every young black man executed or assassinated, in the streets of Guyana, is a criminal is as racist as this regime can get. I wonder how the other Afro-Guyanese members in the PPP and government feel about this situation.
What do they say about the continued perpetuation of this racist narrative? Do they share this view or do they denounce it? How can a society rid itself of ingrained prejudices and stereotypes when those who sit at the helm of leadership make such utterances?
Why must any peace loving Guyanese vote for a party that continues to promote this? Why must young Guyanese who are clamoring for unity vote for a PPP/C government which seems to embrace a policy of divide and rule? Why must anyone support a party which appears to use race as its only political weapon?
Why must Guyanese sit and vote for a government which deems a man who was promoting democracy a nuisance to society. Why must we subscribe to such lunacy?
Recent comments by both Presidents Ramotar and Jagdeo must ignite in each of us a passion, sufficient enough to cause us to get out there and urge everyone to take to the polls on May 11 and ‘VOTE LIKE A BOSS’ for a government that will respect each and every one of us.
I await to see whether President Ramotar will do the decent thing and retract his out-of-place comments regarding Courtney Crum-Ewing. May the memory of this courageous soldier live on; may his soul rest in eternal peace. I thank his family for sharing him with all of Guyana. He has certainly made his mark in the history of our nation. Let none attempt to denigrate his character.
Lurlene Nestor
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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