Government still to honour agreement made with Linden

May 21, 2013 News

APNU takes it to the National Assembly
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has moved to the National Assembly to have the government live up to its agreement made with Region Ten last August. The Party’s contention is that the people of Linden have honoured their part of the agreement but the government is yet to do the same.

APNU MP Vanessa Kissoon

The motion, which stands in the name of Vanessa Kissoon, is titled “Honouring the 21st August, 2012 agreement between the government and the Region Ten Democratic Council. The same is slated to be moved at the next sitting of the National Assembly- this Thursday.
Linden went into a state of unrest last year after the government attempted to impose a hike in electricity tariffs.
Following over a month of protests which saw the shooting to death of three demonstrators, the burning of bridges and road blocks, Linden and the government entered into an agreement to end the unrest.
Since then, there have been several “issues”. The Linden administration is contending that the government is reluctant to honour its commitment in its entirety. The government, on the other hand, is saying that Linden is asking for things that didn’t form part of the agreement.
Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, on behalf of the government and Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon, on behalf of the Regional Democratic Council signed the agreement.
Come Thursday, the National Assembly will vote on the Motion that seeks to have the government “adhere” to its commitments and obligations or be held responsible to what unfolds after.
One of the whereas clauses states that “the people of Linden were involved in peaceful protest and were subjected to the uncalled for use of excessive and lethal force by the Guyana Police Force resulting in the death of Mr. Allen Lewis, Mr. Ron Somerset, Mr. Shemroy Bouyea and the injuring of scores of unarmed protestors.”
The same clause further stated that “the use of lethal force rather than instilling fear that was intended, increased the resolve of the people and escalated the protest forcing the Government to respond to concerns of the people of Linden and enter into negotiations with the people of Region Ten, represented by their elected and legitimate representatives; CONCERNED that even while the negotiations were ongoing the Guyana Police and Guyana Defence Forces were used against the people of Linden.”
The motion reflected that, six months after the signing of the Agreement many aspects of the Agreement have not been implemented, “especially the commitment to return the dish and transmitter to the people of Linden, inter alia.”
Should the Motion be passed, the National Assembly will call on the Government of Guyana to “immediately adhere to its commitments and obligations under the written Agreement of 21st August, 2012 thereby ensuring that the benefits which were to accrue to the residents of Region10.”
The “be it further resolved” clause calls for the Government of Guyana to “be held solely accountable and responsible for all direct and indirect consequences flowing from its continued unwillingness to adhere to the letter and spirit of the written Agreement of 21st August, 2012.”