-commends move by protestors to exhibit peace and calm after days of protesting
“My brothers and sisters from the Upper East Coast of Demerara and the West Coast of Berbice, I am pleased that you have answered my call for peace and calm during this time. We have carried the burden of racism in our country for far too long, it is time that we rid ourselves of this weight and move our country forward.”
Those are the words of Chairperson of the Peoples National Congress/Reform (PNC/R), Volda Lawrence, who in a press release stated that she stands with all protestors in their calls for justice for four murdered persons; Orlando Jonas, Joel Henry, Isaiah Henry and Haresh Singh.
She stated that in considering all that has transpired, she is now calling on the Government and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to act with urgency to bring the perpetrators for these gruesome murders to justice.
“ The families of the victims need closure, their communities need closure, I need closure and Guyana needs to heal. The people will not accept any outcome that is void of justice and we, the people, wish to make this very pellucid. Therefore, the opportunity to deliver justice should not be squandered, to protect and/or hide wicked people from the full brunt of the law.”
Lawrence reminded that the protest actions must not end until justice is served.
“I am resolute in my stance to go the full mile with you, until we achieve our desired outcome, justice. But we must protest in a peaceful and civil manner, doing so with respect for human life, dignity, and property. Our protest must be solution oriented and not driven by chaos, violence, and destruction.”
She strongly urged that those that have utilized violence or caused destruction, to refrain from such acts as “we seek justice for those who were taken from us.”
“My fellow Guyanese after all is said and done, we as a people, will have some serious introspection to do, before we can bridge the existing divide in our country, which is driven by racism. Racism cannot be solved with more racism. At the end of the day, we all are sons and daughters of Guyana; we have to live with each other, we still have to travel together, go to school together and work together. And believe it or not we all want the same thing, and that is a better Guyana for all, young and old, rich and poor,” the PNC/R Chair reminded.
