A 27-year-old Mathematics teacher in the Region 9 village of Aishalton intends to file an official police complaint against one of President Ramotar’s bodyguards after he was reportedly slapped by the man for openly criticising the President and his government at a PPP meeting in the hinterland community.
The teacher, John Adams spoke to News Source from the Amerindian village this afternoon and explained the physical abuse which was meted out to him because he openly questioned the President about a number of failed projects in the Amerindian communities.
Adams said he was at the meeting with other villagers on Wednesday night because he wanted to hear what the President had to say about development in the area. The young man said that instead of hearing about that, he had to sit and listen to President Ramotar lash out at the Opposition and the private media.
“I was there to hear Mr. Ramotar make his speech but as he was making his speech all he was doing was bad talking APNU and AFC and Stabroek News and Kaieteur News. So I was just making one and two comments along with some of my friends about the reality facing us and the PPP organiser in the area pointed me out to the Presidential guards”, Adams said.
The young man said when it was time for the audience to raise issues with the President he stood up and highlighted several problems facing their community including the absence of a generator to power the antenna for The Learning Channel which has been in the community for a number of years.
He said “they felt I was out to embarrass them but I was just talking the truth. So after the meeting, two tall indian guys walk up to me and these were the bodyguards and asked me why I was making so many comments and I said like I troubling ya’ll. They said no no, you should be quiet, you should be very quiet and say nothing and just respect what the President say. So I said but I should also have a say and with that they give me one hard slap to my face and it burst my lips”.
Adams said he went across to the police station moments after the incident but no one was there at the time to take his statement. He explained to News Source that he is very concerned about the problems facing the Amerindian communities across Guyana and whenever officials from any party come into his community, he would raise questions. He said the PPP members in his community would always try to shut him up when government officials are there but he would still ensure his point is made.
“What I think made them vex is because he was not saying anything about parliament and so, only bad talking Kaieteur News, Stabroek News and the Opposition and I pointed that out to the meeting”, Adams told News Source.
He said he is originally from the Mazaruni area but has called Aishalton home for the past 13 years. He is married and has two children.
Adams noted that he will continue to stand up for the rights of the Amerindian community because those communities continue to be neglected. He wants a full investigation into the assault matter involving the Presidential guard.
Efforts to get a comment from the Head of the Presidential Guard Service were unsuccessful. News Source was told that he was locked in all day meetings.
The Opposition party, A Partnership for National Unity in a statement said the Commissioner of Police must mount an immediate investigation into the alleged incident.
A few years ago, a school boy was picked up and dumped in the lock ups and charged after he waved a middle finger at a passing Presidential motorcade when Bharrat Jagdeo was President. The charges against him were eventually dropped.
Filed: 4th December, 2014
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