The august assembly condemned these attacks in the strongest possible language, joining the chorus of local and international voices that came out against the actions of the protesters who stormed the Office of the President and who later proceeded to commit arson and banditry in the capital city.

Absent once again from the debate was the major Opposition party, the People's National Congress Reform, which had participated in the illegal procession that went awry, resulting in the burning of two stores and numerous attacks on citizens.

The members on the Government side of the House reiterated its call for dialogue between the Government and the Opposition and for constitutional and legal means to address perceived wrongs. This same call had been made by the Roman Catholic Bishop some time ago and more recently by leading diplomats in the country.

The debate itself was a clear demonstration that motions on matters of public interest can and are often debated in the National Assembly and that in fact this is the proper forum for such debates to take place rather than through confrontational actions in the streets which only result in increased instability in the country.

Untold damage has been done to the country's image. The events of last week occurred on the very day that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government summit opened which meant that not only did we have esteemed visitors in our country but also legions from the foreign press who would no doubt have been appalled by the violence in the streets.

The summit had been a major boost to our fledgling tourism industry with all the major hotels for the first time in a long time reporting full occupancy.

The protests would no doubt have raised serious question about the safety of hosting such events in the future in Guyana but we do hope that those involved in planning these events will understand that the vast majority of Guyanese are law abiding and do not identify with the minority of hooligans responsible for the unrest.

It will take renewed and Herculean efforts to woo investors who will no doubt be wary of the future prospects.

For these reasons it is incumbent upon those who hold the nation's interest at heart to immediately put forward initiatives which can heal the raw wounds of our nation and advance us socially, politically and economically. In such an arrangement the Opposition must be involved but they must assure the nation that they have a demonstrated commitment to constitutional rule.

The private sector has already indicated that it plans to meet religious, civic and social groups in order to discuss a way forward for the country. This is a positive step which we hope will occur sooner than later and which we are confident will be fully supported by the Government.

Within the camp of the opposition PNC Reform there are mixed signals, with contradictory statements emanating from its leaders. However, some positive signs have emerged from leading figures in the PNC/R, suggesting that even within the bosom of that party some persons are beginning to rethink the wayward and crooked path being traversed by the PNC in recent times.

The governing party itself can hardly ignore the numerous concerns of the Guyanese people as it meets later this month for its congress. Uppermost in their minds would be how to assuage the numerous concerns about crime and politically orchestrated violence.

It is hoped that we do not have to wait too long before some meaningful initiatives emerge both within and outside of Government circles, initiatives which can bring assurance to our people that the future will be less traumatic.

The Guyana Police Force must continue in its efforts to bring to book those guilty of violations of the law and it is hoped that our courts would not be intimidated by the stature of the persons who are likely to be placed on trial. Justice they say is blind.