Your Eyewitness supposes it was inevitable; but, for a while, he gotta admit, he had held out some hope that, this time, things were gonna be different. But all it proved is that, while “hope beats eternal” and all that, its realization is a horse of a different colour, innit??
Your Eyewitness is talking, of course, about the denouement of Adrianna’s death, which gripped this nation like nothing else had done for decades. Imagine, that multiple murder-suicide at Soesdyke around the same time barely created a ripple!! Guess the lives of adults being snuffed out is a whole new proposition than that of an innocent child. And even in that morbid observation, your Eyewitness saw some hope that we, as a people, are able to fan that little sign of our common humanity into something transcending our fetid, ethnicised political compulsions. But it was not to be.
Even as the Government went along with every demand of the family members and friends of Adrianna – to conduct an open and transparent autopsy – protesters, who were ostensibly out in support, morphed into screaming mobs: rioting, burning, and looting as of yore!! And they confronted the forces of the state that were trying to bring some kind of order into play. That’s right!!
How many times haven’t we seen the same scenario being played out since the 1950s?? Wasn’t it then that Martin Carter wrote his poem, “This is a dark time my love”?? Is it brighter now?? We start out fighting for justice of some type, but then betray the cause by creating more injustice to our fellow citizens.
In the first night of the vigil, outside our local Bates Motel, the anger was rightfully directed at the police for their stonewalling and diversionary tactics. In the second night, on the public road in front of the Leonora Police Station, the pressure on the police was maintained, and even commuters inconvenienced by burning roads remained sympathetic. But on Monday and Monday night, the opportunistic politicians and political types – like Opposition Leader Norton – evidently just couldn’t contain themselves as they urged more protests against a background of not only fires in the streets, but torched buildings, looted stores, and bike gangs terrorizing downtown Georgetown. By then the demanded autopsy of Adrianna had been completed and the results delivered by the eminent international team of pathologists. But the declaration that the child had drowned – with no signs of sexual assault or any type of force or violence against her – clearly didn’t fulfil the expectations of either the father or the protestors!!
Two persons were killed while robbing stores, and several were shot with pellets. Most sickeningly, acid was thrown on three primary school children even younger than Adriana and on their teacher.
Where’s the Opposition or justice??
…into change
While mayhem was exploding in Guyana in the name of Adrianna, over in Carnival Land, Trinidad and Tobago, elections were held that saw Rowley’s PNM being ousted by Kamla’s UNC, after being in the saddle for ten years. Yes, it’s still Rowley’s PNM, even though he handed the ball to Stuart Young two months ago. Notice it was he who gave the concession speech?? So, what happened??
Was it the incumbency fatigue we’re always hearing about??
Well, in T&T, the incumbent PNM had done so poorly on all fronts – the economy and rising cost of living, crime, public relations or whatever – it’s still a tribute to ethnic politics that they didn’t do worse!! Over there, they’ve retained the constituency system in their 41-member house, and the parties’ performance with swing voters in the so-called “marginal seats” is always key.
This time, the UNC held on to its 19 core seats, and appear to’ve flipped at least five of those marginals!! Will selling Kamla our gas help??
…into nihilism
For the first time in decades, an issue – Adrianna’s death – had brought together PPP and PNC supporters. And what does Norton do?? Calls for more protests, AFTER two had been killed and several wounded!! Hara-kiri??
