THE sudden escalation of threats (bombs and otherwise) to educational institutions including the University of Guyana, has raised questions in some quarters about its genesis.

This comes as the PPP ratcheted up calls for protest action as it presses for the holding of general elections within 90 days as mandated following the passage of the no-confidence vote in the National Assembly.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, asked about a possible connection, brushed aside concerns saying that the “PPP was taking the high moral ground”. The PPP’s general gecretary said that his party was not preaching violence or polarisation, “That is where we will always stand.”

Jagdeo further urged support for racial harmony, calling on all to support the Ethnic Relations Commission’s (ERC) website which purports to support the aforementioned issue. Some have wondered about a possible connection between the opposition’s calls for increased protetsts, reports of shooting threats against a top Georgetown school and subsequent bomb threats made against UG, the latter of which has been closed until further notice.

Jagdeo on Tuesday threatened that there would be no business as usual if his party’s demand for elections by March 19 this year is not met.

Jagdeo had made similar threats when President David Granger found his nominees to for the post of chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission ‘not fit and proper.’ Tuesday, on the picket line outside GECOM, he declared that he will be “ratcheting up” his action. While Jagdeo was making his threats, parents of children attending School of the Nations were outside of the Ministry of Public Security protesting alleged threats made against that institution and over at the University of Guyana, classes were cancelled owing to a bomb threat.

In the aftermath of the no-confidence vote, civil society and the diplomatic community have been urging all parties to remain calm and not to provoke the peace, but Jagdeo on Tuesday told supporters at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre (Red House) that the party would “ratchet up the pressure” against GECOM and the government.

Back in 2018, following President Granger’s appointment of Justice James Patterson as the Chairman of GECOM, Jagdeo had threatened: “If they think they can rig the elections and have the kind of peace that we have now…they are wrong…they are very, very wrong.” He further added, “I hope they are not thinking that in their calculations and it is not coded language.” The former president has been criticised over the years for being intemperate.

He had used similar language in March 2015 at a Babu Jaan rally when he told his successor, Donald Ramotar: “The past three years must have been a nightmare to Ramotar…Sometimes we need to administer something else, some kicks up the asses,” the former president had said.