Thursday
July 03, 2003
LESSONS
OF JULY 3, 2002 STORMING OF OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT COMPLEX
MUST BE CLEAR TO ALL
July 3, 2003 marks one year since the storming
of the Office of the President by thug elements who were part
of a PNCR supported protest along the East Coast of Demerara.
The demonstrators, led by known opposition leaders and activists,
forced their way into the compound of the Presidential Complex
and were in the process of making their way into the Office
of President. The protesters injured Presidential Guards and
also destroyed furniture and office equipment in what can
only be described as an act of extreme recklessness and provocation.
Two persons were unfortunately killed in the process and several
others wounded, having been lured into their deaths by irresponsible
elements, one of whom - Philip Bynoe - is now a fugitive
of the law and the other - Mark Benschop - is prison awaiting
trial for Treason.
The motives behind the attack on
the Presidential Secretariat were clearly political.
It is clear that those who masterminded the
assault on the Presidential Complex had an agenda that was
sinister and diabolical. The storming took place just hours
before the opening of the CARICOM Heads of Government Conference
in Georgetown. Also" the action has to be seen against
the background of an orchestrated attempt, at the time, to
create mayhem and disorder in the country and ultimately to
bring down the legitimate and democratically elected
PPP /Civic Government. It will be recalled that immediately
after the storming of the Office of the President, several
of the thug elements began torching business places and vehicles
on Regent Street.
The fact that one of the ring- leaders -
Philip Bynoe - is still on the run and another - Mark Benschop
- placed behind bars awaiting trial is a clear indication
that democracy and the rule of law is well entrenched and
must not be taken for granted. It should also serve as a reminder
that any attempt to
tamper with the essential structures of the
State will be met with the full might of the law, the consequences
of which can be severe.
The Government, on the occasion of the first
year of the attack, wishes to place on record its appreciation
to the disciplined forces for the high professionalism
displayed in ensuring the safety of the President and in the
preservation of law and order. The Government also wishes
to express its gratitude to local groups and individuals,
including leading members of the PNCR and the international
community for their outright condemnation of this violent
assault.
The lessons of July 3, 2002 must be clear
to all. While the Government respects the freedom of people
to assemble and to engage in protest actions, such actions
must be carried out within the framework of the law. The Government
will not tolerate any infractions of the law under the guise
of "peaceful protest" as is often the case. The
foundation of civilized societies rests on respect for the
rule of law as enshrined in the Constitution' of Guyana.
The Government of Guyana wishes to call on
all Guyanese not to allow themselves to be misled by elements
who seem bent on sowing the seeds of destruction out of narrow
self-interests. For its part, the PPP/Civic Government remains
committed to strengthening the constructive engagement process
with the Opposition and to build a peaceful, inclusive and
cohesive society and one in which there is full adherence
to the rule of law and where the rights of each citizen is
fully respected.
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