Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed today accused the government of restricting the movement of opposition parliamentarians after he said that a boat transporting him and MPs Tabitha Sarabo-Halley and Dawn Hastings-Williams was prevented from proceeding to Moruca.
In a short video posted on social media, Mohamed said the group was stopped at the Coast Guard’s floating base in the Pomeroon River and instructed to turn back.
His being restricted would be a breach of a constitutional right to freedom of movement.
Mohamed said they had intended to join supporters in Moruca for a peaceful protest during a visit by President Irfaan Ali and government ministers. The planned protest was to press demands for the resignations of Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill and Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar over the MV Barima disaster.
He said that the decision to prevent the group from continuing its journey amounted to “dictatorship”.
Sarabo-Halley said the parliamentarians had a constitutional right to protest and argued that preventing them from travelling represented an infringement of their freedom of movement.
“I think this is a clear sign of dictatorship in its finest form,” she said, while alleging that the President and the government appeared fearful of the Opposition Leader and opposition MPs.
Sarabo-Halley said supporters were awaiting the group’s arrival in Moruca and maintained that the planned activity was peaceful.
Hastings-Williams said she had travelled to Moruca by boat on several occasions and was familiar with the routine checks conducted at the Coast Guard base.
According to her, boats would normally stop, provide the names of those aboard and then be permitted to continue. She said the captain of their vessel complied with the usual procedure but was subsequently informed that the boat could not proceed to Moruca.
She described the development as “very undemocratic” and said Guyanese, including Indigenous people, had a right to travel freely throughout the country.
Mohamed alleged that several other boats were permitted to pass after providing passenger information. He further said that Coast Guard ranks told the group they were awaiting instructions from the officer in charge.
No statement from the Guyana Defence Force or the government on the incident was included with the video, and the reason for the reported restriction was not immediately clear.
Word on the ground is that protestors are being barred from moving beyond a certain point by police. One shop owner said she was instructed by a police officer to close her shop as he said persons would congregate at the location but she bluntly refused.
“Is a set a nonsense happening here and people not being allowed to protest for their rights,” one resident of Santa Rosa said.
Residents also shared that about six plane loads of officials arrived in the area and there has been several buses and other vehicles bringing people in.
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