…says OPR investigating death of Quindon Bacchus
– assures vendors of compensation
As pandemonium erupted along the East Coast of Demerara corridor on Tuesday following a peaceful protest calling for justice for Quindon Bacchus, President Dr Irfaan Ali has called for peace to prevail while stating that there was no reason for the violence displayed.
The President, via a broadcast to the nation, stated “There is no basis at this moment for the type of behaviour we’re seeing on the road. As your President, I assure you that at all times I would work to ensure there is fairness in the system. I ask you to go home. I asked you to allow the system to work and I ask you to await the report. Let the institutions work.”
Sharing an update on the investigation into Bacchus’s death, Ali explained, “I am advised the process has commenced, and that process has made tremendous progress. I am further advised though that very early in the new week, the Police Complaints Authority, Justice [William] Ramlal (Ret’d), the Chair would be in a position to present their findings based on investigations to the DPP.”
“The Government has already made it clear that it supports the ongoing independent investigation to ensure there is justice for Mr Quindon Bacchus. Similarly, we will support all actions that are necessary to ensure justice for all those who lost property, were beaten, robbed, or were otherwise affected by the lawlessness that took place. The images and videos are widely circulated and available.”
However, the President’s assurances from behind a screen did little to quell the anger, frustration, and irrational actions that prevailed along the East Coast corridor.
Eventually, the situation on the East Coast got so dire that the President had no other choice than to meet with protesters himself.
President Ali was met with cheers and shouts of relief when he made his first stop at the Mon Repos Market. There the Guyanese Head of State not only pleaded with residents to end the chaos but also assured them that they would be compensated for their losses.
Ali said to the crowd, “First of all, what was done was completely wrong. There is absolutely no excuse for it. The Commissioner of Police is here and we have made it very clear that, first of all, those who are responsible for this must be brought to justice.”
“We’ve made it clear, we’ve made it very, very clear, first of all, all those who are responsible for this have to be brought to justice.”
The Head of State went one step further, explaining that even those who incited the violence will face the law.
“Not only those who did it, but those who instigated I also. Because, let me be very clear, if you are leading a protest, you have a responsibility to keep that protest lawful,” he contended.
“I am not taking any nonsense!” President Ali declared.
Turning to the vendors, he informed, “I want to assure you that you will be fully compensated.”
“Those who caused the harm must and will be brought justice, that is important…I am here directly to assure of the things that are possible, I am asking you stop the violence and stay calm.”
So adamant was he about the compensation of vendors, that he went through the market, speaking with them and learnt of their losses. Pandit Tewari and his sons who were accompanying the President, sprang into action, documenting the vendors’ information.
Following this exercise, President Ali made his way to Buxton, where he engaged protesters and Bacchus’s family members.
“I came out here because I don’t want this to escalate. There are people in society who want this to escalate. They’re intellectuals who try to use that for other gains,” President Ali said soon after his arrival there.
“The news agency that put that out this morning, they put something today apologising, that their information was wrong. Their information was wrong, they were misled but we got to face the consequences,” he said about the ill-informed Facebook post that reportedly sparked Tuesday’s protests.
Ali insisted, “The man is still under arrest.”
However, the President’s reasoning was met with pushback, especially from one of Bacchus’s relatives, who believed the protests were necessary.
“Since my cousin dead, is now you come up to the East Coast. Is now you come up the East Coast,” the relative accused. “If we didn’t do a protest, we wouldn’t see nobody for justice,” he added.
“That, for me, it taking too long,” he contended about the Police’s explanation of Bacchus’s death.
In reply, President Ali said, “I agree with you, that justice has to be served here, but justice doesn’t mean you got to burn down people’s stands”.
The Head of State went on to plead with the residents to give the Police’s investigation some more time, stating, “I cannot intervene in an independent investigation. We said it very clearly, and the Police also said that the Police Complaints Authority is supervising investigations. I called this morning, the Commissioner, the Chairman, they assured me that the report will be finished early next week, hopefully on Monday.”
