6 arrested following brawl over old grievance

– APNU/AFC misrepresents to stir up race hate

Police in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) have arrested six persons after at least three of them were injured in a scuffle at Edinburg, West Coast Demerara, on Monday.

The incident was, however, mispresented by APNU/AFC members which can undoubtedly stir up race hate among Guyanese.
Based on information received, the two women, Nazraphena Nafeiza Lette and Shanta (only name given), have sustained chops and lacerations about their bodies following the incident. Another person, Tactical Services Unit Rank Ganesh Pertab also sustained injuries to his hand after attempting to intervene.

Based on information, the incident stemmed from a prior altercation between Shanta’s son and a relative of Lette’s. It was related that 61-year-old Shanta was heading to her job as a Security Guard at the Leonora Cottage Hospital when she was accosted by Lette and a scuffle ensued between the two women.
This resulted in Lette sustaining injuries about her body as well as Shanta receiving lacerations to her face and back. Pertab reportedly rushed to the aid of Lette – his daughter, and was injured in the process.
However, the story was posted by APNU/AFC supporter, Varune Mahdeo, who stated that Nazraphena Nafeiza Lette was assaulted because she was a supporter of the coalition who lives in a predominantly East Indian Village. This post was, however, shared by other APNU/AFC members including former General Manager of Guyana Chronicle, Sherod Duncan.

Nevertheless, when Guyana Times visited the village, Jenita Eastman – a neighbour to the women, related that she was inside of her home when she heard Shanta’s daughter shouting for her.
“The woman that get beat up, she daughter passing and holler and calling for me to tell me that ‘auntie Jenny, auntie Jenny they bank me mother and they beating me mother’. When I run out I (saw) the lady (Shanta) lying on the ground and the girls (Lette) them around,” she related.
Eastman related that she knows both of the women, since they once lived in the same yard. She added that Lette’s relative was involved in an altercation with Shanta’s son a few days prior to the incident and it is believed that is the reason the elderly woman was attacked.
She added that she was appalled when she learnt that Lette launched an attack on Shanta.
“I never expect that she would eye pass a big woman like that because we all grow in front the lady…they shouldn’t hit the woman in this kind of way because if son and brother got it out, let they trash it out because they is man. The woman is a big woman, she was going to work. The woman don’t trouble people and if is any problem is she and she children. That’s how I know she is to be,” Eastman added.
Shanta, according to Eastman, sustained injuries to her face and a back. She further related that Lette’s accusations about being assaulted because of race is one that she is not familiar with since, to her knowledge, there was no talk about race.
However, Lette’s mother, Ramrattie Singh, explained that while she is not au fait with the reasons that led to Monday’s incident, she was at home, a few metres away, when the incident occurred.
“Yesterday (Monday) I don’t know what is the problem. I heard a noise and I go inside and put on my slippers and when I come out walking going, my husband told me to go back inside and he had on a short pants and he go and when he go he see my daughter and a girl in a scuffle. So, he tried to part them and he said y’all stop, stop this nonsense but them still continue,” she related.
Singh said 28-year-old Lette sustained injuries to her ear and hands while Pertab recieved lacerations to his hands.
Meanwhile, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) Police Commander, Simon McBean told Guyana Times that six persons have been arrested for the incident. Four from Shanta’s end and two from Lette’s end. He noted that both parties had wounds to support their varying statements.
The investigation is still ongoing.