Inciteful statements by WPA members under legal review

-‘Law will take its course’ – Minister Benn

Recent statements by members of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) which have been deemed ‘racist and inciting’ by a number of government officials and civil society bodies are currently under legal review.
Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn made the disclosure on Thursday while speaking to media operatives on the sidelines of an event. He said such statements are harmful to the country.

“They [statements] appear to me to be frankly seditious and if they are found to be frankly, seditious, the laws will take its course,” Minister Benn expressed.

The minister joined President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, SC., and members of civil society bodies and the private sector in condemning the statements.

“We should not allow persons to vicariously, in a crowded hall of people shout fire or call one set of people to attack another set of people… or to suggest that persons who have arms in a formal discipline service area to turn those against the state or against their fellow Guyanese,” the minister stated.
It was also highlighted that statements of this nature cannot be made in a democratic society, where there is a Parliament and legal courts.  Minister Benn also pointed out that there are parliamentary and legal routes for organisations to explore if they are aggrieved.

The Home Affairs Minister recalled the period of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections where, “some persons who were in uniform did things which were not lawful, democratic in relation to our country. We’ve largely gone past that issue and we don’t want to go back to it.”