SHORTLY after expressing the disdain of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for protests by students during school hours, PPP General Secretary and Home Affairs Minister, Mr Clement Rohee was called

upon to state what proof the party had that the protests were organised by the main Parliamentary Opposition party, APNU.

PPP/C General Secretary, Mr Clement Rohee (second left) speaking to reporters yesterday. With him were PPP/C’s Executive Secretary, Zulficar Mustapha, and Central Committee members Hydar Ally and Indra Chandarpal

CIVIL UNREST
Rohee said the PPP is calling upon APNU to desist from advocating civil unrest that encourages the willful destruction of school buildings and furniture, and to denounce these “criminal acts of violence” against children.
Meanwhile, APNU Leader David Granger is also being called upon to support the Ministry of Education by denouncing the actions of those who illegally lock school gates and use children to protest at a time when they should be learning in school.
“The PPP stands in solidarity with the Education Ministry’s position in declaring zero tolerance for all political protests at schools. Our party would be the first to recognise the right to protest but we must be able to draw the boundary lines when politicians seek to use our students and take them away from valuable learning periods to advance their narrow political interests.
“The Leader of the Opposition’s attempt to politicise our education system must be viewed in the context of his party’s failure to provide equal academic opportunities to all of Guyana’s children prior to 1992. [He] truly has no shame and must take full responsibility for introducing the APNU/AFC culture of protests into our schools,” Rohee declared.
Despite the best efforts by the Education Ministry, Rohee observed that some schools will nevertheless experience hiccups.

SIX OUT OF 1,000
The Minister of Education had reported that of the 1,000 schools across Guyana, there were hiccups in only about six. In most of these six, there were peculiar matters that caused the hiccups. “For example, on the Sunday night before school reopened, the adults at St Rose’s, whose board is chaired by Cathy Hughes (of the AFC) went and locked up classrooms, thus locking the little St Agnes children out.
“The parents of St Agnes protested and in our view, they had good reason. But the ministry and the PPP could hardly be blamed for the behaviour of the Cathy Hughes-led board as Granger is now trying sensationally and dishonestly to do.
“Granger blames the education ministry and the minister for the first day disarray. He alluded to this in the APNU column in the Kaieteur News. Granger knows that three of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils in Region 4 on the East Coast of Demerara under his control deliberately conspired to embarrass the education ministry on the opening day of the new school year by failing to weed the school yards of the 26 schools under his jurisdiction.
“He and the APNU did not care that it would be children they would be affecting. They were hoping to be able to legitimately claim that the East Coast schools could not open. In fact, a few days before school reopened, Granger was on TV saying he knew that schools on the East Coast would not be able to open.
“Fortunately, the ministry was proactive, uncovered this devious plan, and with the help of the Progressive Youth Organisation, had all the schools prepared for opening. So there was no first day chaos as planned by the PNC/APNU,” stated Rohee, the PPP/C’s General Secretary.