Looking forward to a peaceful Mashramani in Queenstown come 2020 Stabroek News July 27, 2019 Dear Editor, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan made all the right noises at the recent Noise Management Training Programme for police officers. He vowed, yet again and in public to ensure the enforcement of the laws governing noise nuisances, to reduce discomfort caused by noise pollution, and to build “a culture of law and order across the country”. Well, much can be said about the current state of law and order in Guyana where double standards, hypocrisy, bullyism, bribery, corruption and favouritism make up much of the accepted culture. The minister is not unaware of this. However, I will take him at his word and I am therefore looking forward to spending a peaceful Mashramani and Carnival come 2020 at my Queenstown residence by which time I and most other citizens expect that Guyana will be viewed around the world as a democratic country where law and order are respected and upheld by everyone including the government. To reduce the discomfort of the long-suffering residents of Queenstown and Kitty – I have written about this ad nauseam and will not go into the facts again – I expect that the Government of Guyana will ensure that the noise level of the music accompanying the respective parades will be within the legal limits, that the Mayor and City Council will not allow their vendors to pollute the environment with ear-splitting levels of noise, that all the police on duty will ensure the laws are upheld, and that law breakers will be charged, including the large corporations who add considerably to the pollution. Noise pollution is not only about the small bars and restaurants and the wedding houses with their deafening music but some of the main offenders come from officialdom itself and if a government itself is disrespectful of the laws of a country, it is the utmost hypocrisy that it should expect its citizens to comply with any regulations at any level whatsoever. It is the primary duty and responsibility of a government to uphold the country’s laws as stipulated by the Constitution which must be honoured as an inviolable document in which resides the rules that govern the very civility and moral accord of a nation. Without that respect, as Minister Ramjattan full well knows, all is chaos, confusion and discord. He is also aware that complying with the country’s laws is not a piecemeal affair whereby he or any of his colleagues in government has the authority to decide which laws to enforce and which ignore. As citizens we continue to hope that any disrespect for the laws of our country will be truly and totally rejected. Then we will be able to move forward as a nation. Yours faithfully, Ryhaan Shah A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples