The law will take its course

–– Benn says about racist, incendiary statements made by WPA members

MINISTER of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, on Thursday, while condemning the harmful statements made by members of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), said that legal reviews are ongoing and the law will take its course.

The minister made those remarks on the sidelines of an event on Thurs- day morning. He said that executive member of the WPA, Tacuma Ogunseye, appeared to be calling out persons or units of the Disciplined Services to take divisive actions which could be harmful to the country.

Ogunseye had continued the PNC’s rhetoric of unsubstantiated claims of oppression being faced by

Afro-Guyanese under the current government.

At that meeting, the WPA member went a bit further by saying that members of the Joint Services should, “turn those guns in the right direction.”

As such, Minister Benn told reporters on Thursday: “I’m condemning them in the strongest term… I’m saying while we are having legal reviews of them they appear to me to be frankly seditious and if they are found to be seditious, the laws will take its course.” He went on to add that we cannot have persons making such insinuations and suggestions in a democratic environment, where there are systems in place like the courts, and parliament that persons can approach if they feel aggrieved.

“There is representation in the parliament and there is also the courts, the legal system and we should not allow persons to… in a crowded hall of people shout fire or call one set of people to attack another set of people,” the Home Affairs Minister remarked.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn

Benn went on to add that for persons to suggest that those who have arms in a formal Disciplined Service background should turn the same against the state or against their fellow Guyanese should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

THE lives of 12 young professionals and their families have been completely transformed, as they are now owners of newly built young professional flats located at Prospect, East Bank Demerara.

The keys of the units were handed over to the beneficiaries on Thursday, by the Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, together with Managing Director of First Change Builders Inc., Steven Jacobs and representatives of Demerara Bank

Limited.

Each home is approximately 1,700 square feet and sports three bedrooms, including one self-contained room, a kitchen and dining quarters.

One beneficiary, Jason Arjune, said that the opportunity is a significant step forward for his family.

“This is a very good start in life and it’s gonna mean the world to us,” Arjune, who was in the company of his wife, said.

Noting that the area was previously virgin land, Minister Croal said that the government’s prudent foresight has resulted in tremendous development of the scheme.

Over 200 homes including low-income, young professional single flats and young professional elevated homes are being constructed in the area.

The scheme is also bordered by the Eccles to Diamond Interlink Road and is also in close proximity to the incoming Eccles to Great Diamond Four-Lane Highway.

“Now you can see total transformation here on the East Bank,” Minister Croal said.

The minister also related that the government is moving in a direction where more home construction will done to make homeownership easier for Guyanese.

He added that Thursday’s activity demonstrates both the banking industry’s and contractors’ increased responsiveness to the government’s housing drive, which in turn leads to the creation of more job opportunities for skilled and unskilled workers; and boosts the nation’s economy.

Close to 600 homes have been handed over to Guyanese through the government’s housing programme in the past few years. Additionally, some 1,400 homes in different categories are at various stages of construction.

Meanwhile, Jacobs, in brief remarks, said that homeownership is a life-changing opportunity. He said the com- pany is pleased to be help advance the government’s housing drive.

One of the beneficiaries, Dellon Caesar, praised the government’s initiative and the work of the contractor, as he stated that the home will provide a more comfortable environment for his family.

“I’m quite excited for the home…I am now starting a family, my wife and I have a newborn so it would be a good comfort zone,” Caesar said.