Despite COVID-19 measures preventing persons from gathering in large crowds, supporters of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition on Saturday gathered in front of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) to protest.
In front of the ACCC, where the National Recount is ongoing, a makeshift tent was swarmed with persons wearing green and yellow accoutrements, most of whom failed to wear a mask or practice social distancing.
Some APNU/AFC supporters crowding under a makeshift tent near the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC)
Public gatherings have been limited to no more than five persons but what occurred outside the ACCC was not adherence to this measure. However, the persons remained for a while and were later advised by Police ranks on site to remove and did not face arrests.
This contrasts to the arrest of two People’s Progressive Party/Civic members, who picketed the Foreign Affairs Ministry last month and were charged despite practicing social distancing and wearing masks.
They were brought before the court to answer the charge of breaching the COVID-19 measures; a charge the Opposition labelled as intimidation.
Former parliamentarian Neil Kumar and Raphael Boodhoo appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge which stated that on May 16, they breached No 2 (1) restriction on social activities in the COVID-19 Emergency Measures.
Kumar was accused of hosting a meeting of a fraternal civic organisation. The duo was arrested while picketing for The Carter Center to be allowed into the country to complete its observation of the March 2, General and Regional Elections.
Following the hearing, Kumar said the aim of the charges is to intimidate them, but he promised to continue the fight for the restoration of democracy in Guyana.
“This is extremely frustrating! What we were doing was protesting peacefully. All of us had our masks on, we were 12 feet away [from each other], and we had our peaceful picket hand bands. I have been picketing for over 40 years now, and I have never seen such rude Police and this type of action. What we were protesting for is for Guyana; is for the people of Guyana we were protesting for; so that The Carter Center and the IRI [International Republican Institute] could come back here and be at the recount. This is nonsense that is going on in this country!” Kumar noted.
