Latchmin and Jamal Azeez (Department of Public Information photo)
-president sounds concern over ‘civil violence’ in Region Five
March 22 2020
A Bush Lot Village, West Coast Berbice butcher shop was torched late Friday night in an attack that its owners believe was politically-motivated.
The destruction of the shop, which was owned by APNU+AFC coalition supporters Jamal and Latchmin Azeez, prompted President David Granger to voice his concern yesterday about “civil violence” in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and condemn acts of hostility against innocent citizens.
Both the fire service and police have launched an investigation.
Jamal Azeez, 57, told Sunday Stabroek that he and his wife were alerted by police patrolling the area sometime before 1 am yesterday that the shop, which is located along the Bush Lot Public Road, was on fire. He said the police had already summoned the fire service, which arrived on the scene and quickly put out the fire. However, the wooden structure was already destroyed by the fire.
Jamal said he bought the shop from a relative in 2010 and spent $100,000 to rebuild it. It has been in existence since 1997. Apart from the structure, scales and cutting tools were also destroyed by the fire.
The butcher shop on fire on Friday night
The charred remains of the torched butcher shop (Department of Public Information photo)
Jamal suggested that the fire was deliberately set in a politically-motivated attack as he noted that both he and his wife are known supporters of APNU+AFC and they have continuously received threats from persons within their community as a result.
Latchmin Azeez, 51, a Region Five Community Development Officer with the Ministry of Communities and an active supporter of the APNU+AFC coalition, also said that her family has received numerous threats in recent years.
She said in the past members of a known gang would pull off their party flags from the shop, on which the words “Vote PPP/C” were spray painted. The shop was originally painted with the coalition’s colours.
“…Throughout the elections campaign they had break it [structure] down once and we fix it back. They pull down the flags and we keep putting back the flags,” she explained.
She also noted, that even during the recent protest at Bush Lot, persons had threatened to torch her shop, which forced her husband to seek the intervention from police ranks to guard the shop throughout the protest action.
The fearful woman said she was now uncertain of what other threats may become reality since threats were also made to burn her house with her inside and to burn her car which was adorned with party materials during the elections campaign.
Other supporters of the APNU+AFC have also received threats, she said. “They told my daughter grandmother-in-law that they would burn them house because my daughter and son-in-law lives there,” the woman related.
Despite the attack, she said she was thankful for the support shown to her by the coalition. In a visit paid to the couple yesterday, the Department of Public Information reported last evening,that Social Protection Minister Amna Ally said her party would rebuild the shop “immediately.”
Meanwhile, in a statement issued yesterday afternoon, Granger said he was “deeply concerned” about reports of acts of civil violence perpetrated in the region and he cited the destruction of private property and attacks on innocent citizens in Bush Lot. “I condemn these hateful acts of hostility aimed at terrorising innocent citizens and instigating discord,” he said.
Granger called for good sense to prevail and urged residents to desist from communal violence. “I call on the perpetrators to cease these criminal acts immediately. I urge the law enforcement agencies to act swiftly to ensure the safety of citizens and to bring perpetrators to justice. The Guyana Police Force must ensure that law and order prevails in the interest of the protection of citizens and the state,” he further said.
Granger added that the recent acts follow attacks carried out in the region almost two weeks ago when law enforcers and school children were attacked. He also noted that the media showed “images of a hooligan brandishing a firearm in confrontation with policemen” on March 6 at Lusignan, in Region Four, and reports of lawlessness at Black Bush Polder, Tain, and Canje in Region Six. “I extend my sympathy to the children and police officers who have been injured and to the family which lost its property in the apparent arson at Bush Lot Village. I express my condolences to the family of the person who was shot in the fracas. I condemn the violence and criminal acts that have occurred since 2nd March 2020,” the president said, while calling on citizens to respect the rule of law and to be patient while awaiting the ruling of the Supreme Court and the completion of the electoral process by the Guyana Elections Commission.
Several protests erupted in the coastal regions after the controversial declaration of results from the March 2 polling for Region Four was made by Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo. The declaration was later invalidated by the High Court.
