Panday: Guyana killings political

On Tuesday night a gang of heavily-armed masked gunmen stormed the Kaieteur News press-room, ordered the workers to lie on the ground and shot five of them, four of whom died on the spot. One is still in a critical condition.

But even though Guyana’s general election is less than three weeks away, the newspaper’s owner/publisher, Glenn Lall, said he did not believe the killings were politically motivated, and said they were fair in their reporting.

However, Panday, on Thursday, asserted, “This is a political attack. They can say what they want. The killings took place before the election.”

“What I fear most of all about it is that this country is heading in the same direction. There is a similarity in the demographics and politics of Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. The moment you have that kind of thing happening in the Caribbean, it will come to your country sooner or later.”

Panday said he has warned the PNM government not to block the democratic process and not to associate itself with violence.

Asked if politicians on the campaign trail for the upcoming general election here would now be more cautious about what they say about the media, Panday replied, “Once the media print the truth, they need not be afraid.”

Asked if the Kaieteur News workers were killed because they did not print the truth, he said, “I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve ever read that newspaper. But I will now.”

Former Attorney General, Ramesh Maharaj, who said Thursday he was now a lifetime UNC member, had similar fears about Guyana’s shock killings.

“I hope it wouldn’t happen here. Our government has shown recently that it is above the law and whenever there’s tyranny, anarchy results. I hope Government would take note and conform to the rule of law.”

Maharaj said the Guyana killings must also be viewed as a threat to the region, the media and the rights of individuals in society.

UNC political leader, Winston Dookeran, condemned the execution of Guyana’s media workers, and said every effort must be made to preserve the freedom and independence of the media, and regional democracy.