Caruth: Coup a rape of our Parliament

The attempted coup of July 27, 1990 has done lasting harm to this country, lamented NAR deputy leader Cecil Caruth. He was yesterday addressing a wreath-laying ceremony marking the 14th anniversary of the attack. Caruth remarked, “We lost our innocence. Since that time, this country has witnessed an increase in all sorts of crime, primarily drug-trafficking, murders and more recently kidnapping.”

He commented, “The attack on our Parliament, whatever the reasons for it, was indeed an act of rape on the integrity and sanctity of all democratically-elected institutions the world over. Our rights and freedoms were castrated and thrown to the wolves.” Caruth said the event should teach us several lessons. “The armed forces must be more proactive in guarding the country. Social problems like poverty, dispossession and unemployment must be put on the front burner. “Much more focus must be placed on literacy and numeracy programmes in our schools. No effort must be spared to develop critical thinking among our young people so they can discriminate between good and evil,” he added. Caruth said the event revealed the courage of then Prime Minister Arthur Robinson, who when shot and under the gun, had defied his captors and told the armed forces to attack with full force.

“This gave hope and courage to those wondering when the siege would end.” Speaker of the House of Representatives, Barry Sinanan, hailed Robinson’s bravery and determination, which he said had at the time inspired courage and fortitude in those in the Parliament, the security forces, and the whole nation. “We must at all times keep uppermost in our minds the events of July 1990, if only to remind us that we must be ever vigilant in protecting our democratic rights and freedoms.” He said Parliament remembered the families of the victims who had died.

Inter Religious Organisation (IRO), president Rev Cyril Paul, in his invocation, said the entire nation, and especially our leaders, must take steps to make sure those events never happen again. NAR chairman Clyde Constantine said, “We need to establish, strengthen and maintain avenues available to the common man and known to them where they will feel confident their voices will be heard and their concerns will be addressed.” NAR official, Patricia Eversley, in the vote of thanks, hailed Robinson as an eternal symbol of strength, courage and determination. The wreath-laying was led by President George Maxwell Richards and former President Robinson.