– PNCR Executive tells East Berbice supporters ahead of elections declaration
“GECOM get it right! Valid votes must count!” shouted supporters of the A Partnership of National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) as they stomped through the streets of New Amsterdam, bearing placards proclaiming, ‘Fraud is Fraud!’
The occasion was a massive protest organised by the Regional Executive of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and its Coalition partners, moments before the scheduled declaration in Georgetown of the results of the March 2, 2020 National and Regional Elections.
Earlier, the group, dressed in trademark green-and-yellow ‘tees’ symbolic of the political party they support, staged a peaceful protest in front of the New Amsterdam office of the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) on Princess Elizabeth Road, before moving in an orderly manner along Strand Road, where many of the town’s commercial businesses are located.
And as they navigated the streets, chanting in one accord, they were joined by some happy-go-lucky bystanders, while others just contended themselves with looking on.
SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE
Moments after the last of the protesters disappeared out of sight, businesses along Strand Road quickly closed their doors and barricaded their display windows with plywood, after rumour of an impending attack spread like wildfire across the business community.
Following their energetic march around New Amsterdam, the protesters converged outside the PNCR regional office, where Executive Member Shurla Scott passionately exhorted them to stand by whatever declaration Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield makes.
“We stand by the Constitution, because we can read! We stand by the Constitution because it speaks to valid votes! We stand by the CEO, because he is the only legal accredited officer that can give a report to the Chairwoman of GECOM. It is in the hand of the Chief Election Officer,” she declared.
Warming to the topic at hand, Scott said, “The destiny of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana is in our hands; we are the legal citizens… We will wait; we will listen; we will wait in readiness to defend the true and real democracy of this land; the Cooperative Republic, for only the valid votes will count!”
Meanwhile, Elder Politician and Member of Parliament Ms. Barbara Pilgrim Roberts, whilst agreeing with Scott, strongly advised those present, “We are in for the long haul. Don’t tell me no nonsense about reasonably creditable; it must be credible results! And, Comrades, God has given us a lot of resources; the main one is oil. That is what is causing the problem! We have a sex offender saying what must happen in this country… The point is, if you look on Facebook, you will find nothing terrible about David Arthur Granger…
We could have done just like them, but we could not do it; not with David Arthur Granger. He said he wanted a clean election… And Anil, yuh name callin’! Fraud is Fraud!”
Turning her attention to the just-concluded recount and what it unearthed, Ms. Roberts said, “Comrades, the recount was a learning lesson. When our leader agreed to the recount, I was mad; highly annoyed! But never in history did I ever witness what has happened now. We must rally behind Keith Lowenfield; why must he put his integrity on the line! We are standing with him; we going in the trenches with him! We ready; we ready! We always ready to defend our democracy!
