00:00It has been 36 years since armed insurrectionists tried to overthrow the country's democratically elected government in an attack on
00:09Parliament, the Prime Minister and the rule of law itself.
00:1224 citizens died, and many more still carry the physical and emotional scars.
00:18In a message marking the anniversary, Opposition Leader Penelope Beckles paid tribute to those killed, to the security forces who
00:27defended the nation, and to the families whose lives were changed in that week of July 1990.
00:33According to Beckles, there is one lesson that this generation can't afford to forget.
00:39She says, quote, the greatest lesson of the 27th of July 1990 is that democracy must never be taken for
00:47granted.
00:48It demands constant vigilance, responsible leadership, and an unwavering commitment to justice, accountability, and the rule of law, end quote.
00:58She is linking that warning to recent and present events in the country, including the ongoing state of emergency.
01:05In this regard, she states, quote, democracy cannot flourish where there is fear, intimidation, or any erosion of the fundamental
01:15rights and freedoms guaranteed to our citizens, end quote.
01:19Beckles is calling on the government to recommit to TNT's founding democratic principles, saying democracy is measured not just by
01:28elections, but by respect for dissent and civil liberties.
01:32She says, quote, let us reject violence as a means of political change, defend the rule of law, and strengthen
01:40the institutions that preserve our freedom, end quote.
01:45And as minds wander back in reflection on the tragic events of the 1990 insurrection, the opposition leader says the
01:53truest tribute to those who died is a democracy that's actively defended, not simply assumed.
02:00Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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