Poor people are fighting for their rights in Linden. They are protesting the draconian increase in electricity rates and three have died gruesomely at the hands of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) while doing so. Tear gas, rubber pellets and live rounds were used to discharge peaceful Linden protesters. Lindeners are angry! They are furious. Lindeners are resolved to keep the pressure on the government until their needs are met. As they mourn their fallen comrades, the people of Linden will ensure that their comrades’ lives were not lost in vain. The struggle continues in Linden.

At the time of writing Tuesday July 24, 2012 one week after the tragedy at Linden, the president of Guyana Mr. Donald Ramotar has not visited Linden to meet with residents to listen to their concerns and try to forge an amicable solution. But on Monday July 23, 2012, a section of the Demerara Harbour Bridge collapsed at its western end, and the president finds time to visit the bridge and pose for photo opportunities.

Many are speculating that perhaps Donald Ramotar is not the president of all Guyana, but of Indo-Guyanese only. Some even posit that because Region Three is a PPP stronghold, with the majority of the bridge users Indian that the president could find the time to show up on the Harbour Bridge pretending to be interested in what happened. But Linden is in crisis and this ‘caring’ Guyanese president cannot find the time to visit this depressed community.

The cruel inhumane treatment of the protesters at Linden last week by the GPF is very paradoxical in so many ways. The way the government has reacted to the people of Linden after their tragedy is also enigmatic.

In 2007 when residents of Tain Corentyne were protesting what they believed to be the presence of rouge policemen present in their community, tires were burnt, a police station was attacked, and roads were blocked. The police then in 2007 did not use any tear gas, rubber pellets or live rounds to disperse those Indian protesters. Actually the police just stood there and watched the protesters get about their business. But in Linden in 2012 when Black people peacefully protest they are tear gassed, shot with rubber bullets and live rounds. Three people were shot and killed when the police used live rounds to disperse the peaceful protesters at Linden.

In 2007 when those Indian protesters at Tain rose up in protest, the PPP-led government quickly dispatched a team of ministers of the government to meet with residents of Tain. But in 2012 the president is yet to send a government team to Linden. But he himself can find time to visit the Harbour Bridge.

Guyanese need to ask themselves if maybe the time has come for a government of national unity. Governance in Guyana must not be done selectively. The government must not appear to have the interest of one set of people at heart and those of others trampled upon. Governance in Guyana ought not to appear as being concerned with the interests of certain communities, while those of others are blatantly disregarded. The same must also be applied to justice. Justice in Guyana must be applied equitably and equally to all Guyanese.

Donald Ramotar must pay keen attention to the poignant lyrics of Peter Tosh: “…there ain’t gonna be no peace; till man gets equal rights and justice!”