HINTERLAND RESIDENTS PUSH BACK AGAINST POLITICAL INTIMIDATION DURING ELECTION SEASON
Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News
Residents across Guyana’s hinterland regions are becoming increasingly vocal, asserting their constitutional rights and rejecting efforts to suppress political engagement during this crucial election season.
Community leaders and citizens in Indigenous villages say they are being discouraged from interacting with political representatives, a move they believe undermines their liberties as Guyanese citizens.
Michael Williams, a respected Indigenous radio announcer and activist from Region 9, described the situation as a threat to the freedom of the nation’s First Peoples.
“How can we exercise our constitutional rights,” Williams asked, “when we are not allowed to listen to every single contesting political party? Every party entering a village should be welcomed without fear, favor, or victimization.”
In Region One, a resident of Kamwatta (also spelled Cam Water) voiced her concern over a directive allegedly issued to restrict political visits. She noted, however, that villagers defied the order and stood their ground.
“After someone came and described our road as the worst, they rushed to fix it—not out of love for the people, but out of spite that someone exposed it,” she told Nightly News.
The same resident criticized a recent visit by a senior official.
“He did not come here to hear our concerns. He was rude. No one else had the chance to speak, and he just left,” she said. “We don’t need abusive leaders who cannot listen to the people.”
Communities are now calling on residents to raise their voices, reject intimidation, and ensure that all political parties have equal access to the electorate. Observers say there’s a growing pattern in the hinterland where Guyanese are pressured not to welcome specific political figures. This practice violates the principles of free and fair participation enshrined in the Guyana Constitution.
Political parties are being urged to refrain from encouraging exclusivity or division within Indigenous communities. Citizens, meanwhile, are encouraged to exercise their rights freely and without interference.
