Gov’t says reckless media reports riled up Lindeners

The Office of the President said it views with utter dismay the burning and looting of public buildings early Friday morning in Linden, and laid some blame on two local media outfits for riling up residents with misinformation about the security forces’ movements.

Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira, in a statement, said that the August 8 agreement and initialling of the Terms of Reference by the government and the Region 10 delegation signalled significant progress in the search for a resolution of the issues associated with the Linden protests. She said government was not unmindful of the complicated situation where representatives of the opposition political parties and the negotiation team themselves, were sending mixed signals to the community.
“The fact that the ToRs were signed testifies to the compromises that the government made on this matter. It is indeed unfortunate that the rhetoric of the opposition and the Region 10 delegates did not match their vowed struggle for peaceful solutions. The blockage of the road corridor within and through Linden was a weapon that was exploited to the disadvantage of all,” Teixeira said.
She said while claiming to be peaceful, protestors’ very acts were destroying the livelihoods of many and were occurring in total disrespect of the law. She noted that there were two media events that the government found sinister and responsible for fomenting the upsurge that began in the early hours of August 10th. At 17: 00h on Thursday, August 9, Mark Benschop Radio was warning Lindeners that the soldiers were coming.
Later that night, Demerara Waves falsely informed Lindeners that the soldiers had seized control of the bridges, cleared the roads in Linden, thereby disrupting and threatening the talks.
“The facts are that soldiers did no such thing, not having entered Linden. Predictably, the protesters were riled up, mobilised immediately and began a period of uncontrolled mob rule. Fortunately, lives were not lost. But there was wanton destruction of property and the impact on the livelihoods was, and is, significant. She said the government continues to warn Guyanese about irresponsible media.
“The government continues to warn its negotiating partners and their mentors about their questionable control of the situation in Linden, pointing out that the extremists have seized the very prominent role of manning the frontline of the protest.”
Teixeira said government remains committed to dialogue, but cannot and will not accommodate the wilful rejection of the rule of law. The government called on protesters to become part of the move to have the blockade in Linden removed. She said it is important “… for the public to know that since July 18th the president and the government of Guyana have been engaged with national stakeholders.

Major milestones
Teixeira said the fact that they have reached an agreement on the commission of inquiry and the ToR and the search for persons to be on that commission, as well as the fact that they were able to overcome and find agreement on the ToRs in relation to the generation distribution of electricity in Linden and the inherent cost are major milestones.
“It cannot be coincidental that events took place early this morning (Friday). As you know, we were in Parliament. Parliament did not end until 3: 30 in the morning. I think that may have been a first for Parliament, although there may have been some time in the Ninth Parliament, we went even later. And in the midst of those debates, we were then informed of the unrest that was taking place in the very early morning in Linden. Why would this happen at this particular time, when we had reached a point where it looked as if there was no major obstacle to people who were clearing the roads and getting on with their lives and allowing the peoples in Regions Seven, Eight and Nine also to normalise their lives,” she explained.
According to Teixeira, the documents that they have compiled in relation to the notes of all the meetings show that the goalpost has been shifting all the time, and there appears to be reluctance by the Region 10 delegation to include other stakeholders from religious, business, labour, women groups, etc.
“There was one issue they were holding onto the economic proposals, which we agreed that we would discuss this two weeks ago.” She said the Region 10 delegation as of Friday has not presented any proposals and, therefore, was delaying any discussion on what it said was the third issue that had to be resolved. Each time, they have said they are not ready. And so the events of Friday morning are regrettable, but it is also not totally unexpected, the presidential advisor said.
“We call on the Linden residents, because many are afraid and they are intimidated. People’s names are being called, threatened; therefore, we are asking the Linden residents who we know are a proud people, that they have the best interest of their people at heart, that they not be led astray by these extremists in their midst and by those who want to continue to have mob rule in Linden. We appeal to the ordinary citizens, many of whom we know in Linden, to stay calm and to stay in their houses so that these activities and behaviour can come to an end.”