From the brink of destruction to an abundance of freedom

– Attorney General Anil Nandlall speaks of the struggles of the PPP/ C to liberate Guyana

Celebrations in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) in office continued last week at Fort Wellington, Region Five, where hundreds of school children, regional officials and residents gathered to recall the struggles for freedom and reflect on the progress that has been achieved over the past two decades.
Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, who participated in the activities, spoke on the history of the system of colonial rule and the hardships and sufferings that it gave rise to.
He spoke at length of the role of the late Father of the Nation, President Dr Cheddi Jagan in the fight for freedom and the ultimate return of democracy, and said that the significance of October 5, 1992, should not be taken lightly as it paved the way for the liberties that are being enjoyed by citizens today.
Nandlall told the young audience that the right to vote in 1953 was the first victory that was won, followed by the gaining of independence in 1966.
This freedom was again taken away, this time, by the government of the day and Guyanese were left to struggle once again at the hands of their own.
“This type of repression and battle and destruction of our freedom took many forms; we couldn’t speak freely, we couldn’t criticise the government of the day, we couldn’t protest and economic destruction followed, because whenever you deny a people their rights and freedom of unleashing their potential, destruction will take place in that society and that is what happened… these are the realities under which we lived as a people in a system ruled by Guyanese,” the AG reminded.
Minister Nandlall said that the historical significance of October 5, 1992 is that, “It was not a victory for the PPP; it was a victory for every single Guyanese as a country because we emerged from a shameful past, where foreigners exploited us and took away our freedom and where our own people exploited us and took away our freedom.”
“When the PPP/C took over in 1992, Guyana was on the brink of economic destruction with no credibility internationally, infrastructure was destroyed and there was disunity among the Guyanese people.
“However, with prosperity being a natural consequence of freedom, the process of rebuilding the nation began and today, 20 years later, the transformation seen in every sector across the length and breadth of Guyana, speaks for itself.”
Nandlall said that today Guyanese enjoy an abundance of freedom, so much so, that it is becoming more difficult to control. Making reference to recent protest actions, he said that, “when you use the mechanism of a protest to rob and beat people and destroy public property, we draw a line, because that is not protest; that is criminal conduct.”
He also reaffirmed government’s commitment to stand by every Guyanese, whose freedom is being threatened by political or other forces.