Afearsomeprogressionofsuppression

There was a case before the US Supreme Court over three decades ago where a remarkable statement was coinedbyoneofthejustices

It concerned the incendiary issue of the extent of free speechinthematterofTexas v Johnson Justice William Brennan had this to say: “If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the governmentmaynotprohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.” What could be more controversial, more inflammatory, than burning oftheAmericanFlag,amost sacred symbol by Mr Johnson?

In the local realm, Guyana’s Constitution protects freedom of expression in letter and in spirit Now,Ipointtowhere it has been taken by the PPP Government, though its willing appointed agencies, anditsvolunteer(perhaps ) groupofloyalistsincensedto intolerance for what is construedtobe“offensiveor disagreeable”

Or, even beyond that, becauseitisfearedtoleadto the revealing, the inconvenient, and the alarming Thus,thestandard has become that such expression,despitelegitimate purposes, must not to be given any space for foundation and ventilation

The great anxiety is that the resulting sunlight could be hellish

Five instances, four of morerecentvintage,furnisha trailofevidencethatconfirms with concrete solidity what I term the frightening progressionofsuppressionof expression in Guyana Expressionbeitathought,an idea,apublicposture,orfullblown conviction-has come under increasingly withering fire, has incited hemming in, cornering, and coercing into tinierandtinierspaces

This is to the point that only favorable voices, solely cooperative stances, exclusively prostrated c o n s c i e n c e s , f i n d acceptability and traction in high government elevations, and in the low pastures of everyday commerce of interactions

First, and with no sequenceobserved,therewas the Black Guyanese entity, IDPADA-G Its work worries the government; its constituencies found wanting;anditssenioragents recognized as objects of resistance, human platforms for difference The suppressiontakestheformof effectively shutting down by the powerful expediency of starving of funds fueled by the most questionable premises Whether it was to neutralize the expressive stances of an election’s commissioner found “disagreeable”, or to divide anddiminishthestandingof thisentityanditsexpressive actions, the fact is that the force of the State was arrayedagainstit,tobringit toboot. Speaknot,donotgo against, and nothing will be found that would be c o n s i d e r e d “offensive ” Except that the opposite o c c u r r e d , a n d retaliatory suppressive actionwasunleashed.

Second, some civic activistshavebeenveryvocal onarangeofissues,thesafety oftheenvironmentbeingone among several, only for them tobeexcoriatedbythehighest lips,andtheirrightstohonest expression be trampled upon, howeverunfoundeditmaybe Itwasnot;notinanyinstance, beitrelativetotheGY-EITI,or Houston,orinsurance What goes on here, when citizens utilizing Constitutional protections on issues of principle and concern are pilloriedandpummeled? But pulverizedtheRadzikswere, andtheRedThreadare

For, third, there is the instance of the Guyana Human Rights Association, and its head, Mr McCormack Like IDPADA-G, from the PPP Government’sside,therewas talk about money and deficiencies,thoughacareful linewaswalkedaroundfraud in the GHRA’s case To identify the unusual in the GY-EITI leads to these bombastic and scurrilous charges,intendedtodenigrate reputations first, then to devastate to a state of impotence Interestingly,the USAmbassador saw it fit to givetheGHRAanaudience, which by itself conveys growingAmericanuneaseat the creep towards a totalitarian State in this oil richnation.

Fourth, the independent media posits ideas, raises questions,andfieldsconcerns, about that same oil richness and the nature of its management, and PPP Governmentagentsgoonthe warpath They paint mere inquirers in the worst of demonic colors, as guilty of unpatriotic vices I give the President in Bartica and his people in Leonora; I point to theHon VicePresidentandhis intensifying tendency to stridency and caustic indecency If the free expression of ideas and visions of oil are found “offensiveanddisagreeable”, then only speech about garbage collection and the sewage system are cherished asacceptable

Finally,thoughnotinthe c a t e g o r y o f t h e aforementioned luminaries, thePPPGovernmentusedthe resourcesoftheOfficesofthe President and the Prime Minister to smear via social media. The purpose was to intimidate,andtosilence,like has followed since, with claims about fraud, debt, missteps with others identifiedabove

Ineveryinstance,despite the powerful weaponry of men engaged in the monstrous, abject failure has resulted In this fearsome progressionofsuppressionof principled expression, of patriotic consciences, two questions rise above all others: Where to and who next; By what new formidable concoction; And, withwhatultimateobjectives in mind? A ‘One Guyana’ speaking with one voice abouttheoneandonlytruth; the PPP Government’s truth alone?

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

CDBapprovesUS$29.8Mto...

Frompage2 andtheSoufriereHospital,willberefurbished andrehabilitatedwhiletheComfortBayHome for Older Persons, will be expanded and retrofitted TheCastriesUrbanCentrewillbe relocatedandexpandedandanewannexwill beaddedtotheDenneryHospital

Other funding will go towards procuring supplies and pharmaceuticals as well as providing a range of training and capacity buildingsolutionsforhealthcareworkers.

Strengthening the medical supply chain willgetneededinvestmentinStVincentand the Grenadines, with US$3.3 million of the funding to support works to establish a Central Medical Warehouse. Nearly US$2.3 millionwillbeputtowardsmedicalandother equipment at the Milton Cato Memorial

Hospital, such as a new distillery system for the pharmacy, equipment for the operating theatre, maternity ward and NICU, for the wards and other departments, and a CT Scanner, X-ray Machine and Hyperbaric chamber

Moreover, it was underscored that buildinguptheskillsofhealthcareworkersis alsoaprioritywithaspecificfocusonfilling skills gaps. Specialised training will be provided for operating theatre nurses, radiology staff, lab technicians, risk communication staff and others.Also, other fundingwillgotowardsengagingadditional health care staff in key areas, the establishment of a dedicated secretariat for the Health Security Unit and the supply and installationofamedicaloxygenplant.