Onward with the aggressive agenda
Editorial
THERE seems to be a perception in some quarters that the current administration is fair game for what Guyanese call `eye pass', a telling local term to describe gross disrespect. Tell a Guyanese `You eyes pass me!' and he/she knows exactly what is meant. And it is clear that the `eye pass' is being extended to include the law enforcement agencies. No decent society would tolerate `eye pass' from those sworn to uphold the rule of law and to protect it from criminals and other deviants and measures must be in place to check any such wandering from the set guidelines and laws. Officers of the law taking the law into their own hands cannot be tolerated and those heading that way must be quickly and firmly put in their place. But similarly, decent society has to rally against persistent `eye pass' dished out at the security forces or it will become the acceptable thing and surely get out of hand. The flood of letters to this newspaper from readers here and abroad following the excesses and the `eye pass' in Georgetown last week is a comforting sign that sober and mature people concerned about the future of the country are not prepared to sit idly and let the situation get out of hand. They are speaking out and others have to join them to ensure that sanity and a decent and secure way of life for all prevail. As the pro-democracy movement gained momentum and gathered international support in the run-up to the October 1992 general elections, one civil society leader had declared that Guyanese could no longer dwell in their caves and called on them to come out and take a stand. The struggle continues and they cannot afford to slink back into those caves. If they do, the dark forces may prevail again. It is important for any government not to be baited by its opponents into reacting to situations in a way that would play right into their hands. That would bring about their downfall, which is what their opponents are always on the alert for. Decisions ought to be made in the interest of the nation as a whole but the authorities cannot always be seen to be bowing to all kinds of pressure. Much of what happened in Georgetown last week would not have been tolerated by the authorities before October 1992 - they had a way of swiftly cutting down any attempt at such `eye pass'. And, for example, a funeral gathering and proceedings for which official permission had not been granted would not have been allowed to take place in Georgetown. No way. But these are different times and officials holding back does not necessarily mean a sign of weakness - not when it is clear what others are trying to provoke. The message, however, has to be clear that the administration will not relax in its determination to be aggressive against crime. It cannot afford to be lured into thinly-disguised schemes for political confrontations and President Bharrat Jagdeo is correct in reiterating the "no-nonsense attitude to crime in this country". The forces of good are on the side of the administration but it has to be firm, steadfast and resolute. There can be no easing up in the aggressive agenda against crime.
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