– and ‘let us continue to unite for a better Guyana’

THE governing People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) has indicated that, contrary to the boastful outbursts by the main Opposition APNU that their protest actions were successful, reports from the ground tell a different story.

“Reports indicate that the turn out by Party Leaders, activists and supporters was very poor. In Georgetown there were no more than 50 persons in a picketing exercise, while in the outlying municipalities, participation ranged from 20 to 8 persons,” the PPPC said in a statement Wednesday.

It noted that sections of the Media, particularly Stabroek News and Kaieteur News, “sexed up the protests” to help create the impression that the protest actions were impressive and had an impact.

The PPP/C said Granger’s threats must be ignored by all Guyanese, especially the good people who everyday do a hard and honest day’s work to provide for themselves and their families and to build a strong economic foundation for their future.
“Granger and his colleagues in the PNC have become desperate and will resort to all means to disturb the peace and good order in our country,” the ruling party stated.
It said history is replete with experiences regarding the type of protests and civil unrests organised by the PNC.
“Those who have short memories will recall the physical and emotional hurt that many suffered, during the Agricola protests two years ago. That event was preceded by the protest at Linden a few months earlier. One can recall the PNC protest in 2001, when they unleashed the “Mo fyah” campaign. Before that we had six months (December 1997 to June 1998) of protests, marches and civil disobedience which was followed in 1999 by the ninety days (90) GPSU strike and protest.”
Incidentally, and as a form of calculated support for Granger’s recent call, Patrick Yarde has threatened that the GPSU will embark on “nationwide industrial action”. And not to be outdone, Hamilton Green joined the protest call with his “bury Sooba” protest.

According to the PPP/C, there is no denying that political protest action hurts and harms the common working man and woman in particular and the country in general. “Not only can we expect physical injuries to people and an escalation of crime, we also expect capital flight and economic stagnation. It is to be recalled that as a result of protests in the mid and late nineties, Guyana experienced economic stagnation and a slowing of the growth rate,” the PPP/C stated.

It noted that the Private Sector Commission has already alerted the nation to the negative impact of protests on business and investment.

As regard Granger’s claim to fame in respect of public safety and security,the PPP/C said Granger should be the last to talk about such matters since while talking about peaceful protests, at the same time he continues to stoke the furnace with a view to heating up the political atmosphere,

“Mr. Granger prides himself as the nation’s guru on security matters. However, when his guru-ship on security is matched against his delinquency to secure the safety of his own comrades at Congress Place, how can he guarantee the nation’s security?” the ruling party questioned.

The party has further noted Mr. David Hinds query about “drum beating” when Afro-Guyanese protest and wishes to point out that the issue is not African Guyanese protest per say, it is in fact PNC/APNU/AFC organised political street protests, and the track record of such political protests and as a consequence, the anxiety and fear which such street protests generate in the context of a multi-racial society and the Constitutional rights of other Guyanese whose personal, private and economic interests must not be affected but respected.

“Hinds writes as though the APNU, AFC and the WPA have a monopoly on all African Guyanese but Hinds should know better especially in light of his personal involvement in the heady days of the Rodney era not to mention the revelations that the nation is now reading about vis-à-vis the Rodney Commission of Inquiry,” the PPP/C said.

The party said it is apposite to note that despite the APNU/AFC Budget cuts, Guyana continues to see positive economic growth and citizens continue to benefit from the PPP/C Government’s spending on the social and physical infrastructures in our country. It noted that protest and civil unrest can reverse all these gains as it has done in the past. The party said it is also apposite to note that Granger’s protest announcement have nothing to do with Local Government Elections, rather it coincides with implementation of two important 2014 budget measures. The payout of education grants of $10,000 for every school child and the positive impact from the $1 billion clean-up campaign as this exercise gets into full gear. The protest is clearly aimed at distracting attention from these two much welcomed Government initiatives.

In this regard, the People’s Progressive Party calls on all good people who are in the overwhelming majority to reject the protest calls by Granger and the APNU and “let’s continue to unite for a better Guyana”.