The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) was informed that because of the current situation and the time of the day, there would be need for the free flow of traffic at this time.

It is not clear what role the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) plays in planning the event, but the TUC General Secretary Mr. Lincoln Lewis seems to be a central player. During a television appearance he made incendiary remarks about threats to his life in an attempt to put fire on an already explosive industrial relations situation. From what he said, the real motives of today’s event would be highly suspicious.

The GPSU had threatened confrontation with the government over arbitration award of 5% salary hike for public servants for 2002, which it said was too low.

The choice of today’s date (Friday, December 13) is not innocuous as it may appear at first glance. It sends more than a subliminal reminder of “Black Friday”.

In 1962 the TUC called a general strike on February 13, which led to the infamous “Black Friday” riots three days later.

For some time now anti-government forces have been suggesting a sinister re-play of “Black Friday” when, what had appeared as a union protest, turned ugly. The city was set on fire, and stores looted.

The police, we are sure, would not have looked at history for not giving permission for the protest. They acted routinely as police would do in all democracies, in the public interest.

We cannot ignore the reality that this is the busiest shopping period in the year, and that the area around the Parliament Buildings is literally bursting at its seams with activities. Any protest event, however righteous, would send jitters in the heart of the commercial centre of our Capital City.

We are sure that the organisers of the rally would not have intended any disruption, and that they have only the true interest of their members in their sacred bosom. But, in the past, organisers of almost all anti-government events in the city have charged that criminals had infiltrated their marches, and had exploited the occasion for attacks on citizens and stores.

What guarantee is there that in this volatile situation, where the city had been held hostage to killers and terrorists, the planned event would not be hijacked for evil purposes?

Guyana has a very liberal constitution that protects the fundamental rights of all, including the right to stage protest actions. It would not be a surprise therefore that the GPSU would raise a loud cry that their human rights have been violated by the refusal by the police of permission to hold the rally. In this case, the organisers would have recourse to the law for redress. They would be found wanting if they instead press on with their action, in defiance of the police.

The police have used gentle persuasion in their meeting with union leaders Messrs. Patrick Yarde and Lincoln Lewis to get them to re-schedule their protest. The police must have appealed for their cooperation, and must have asked them to act responsibly. Now is not the time for confrontation, or to stoke the fires of past tragic events. This is the time for sound reasoning, mature judgment and sober reflection.