The current election season has taken a nasty turn as vandalism has raised its ugly head once again with several billboards, scrolls and posters of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) deliberately damaged by vandals who appear to be centrally directed.

What is even more disturbing is the fact that this dastardly act took place within the vicinity of the Kitty Police Station, which is an indication of how brazen these criminals are.

However, it is encouraging to note that amidst such troubling provocation, the PPP/C has urged its supporters to remain calm and to act with restraint and with a sense of responsibility.

This is expected because the PPP has a history characterised by civility and non-violence, even though it was dogged by extreme provocation during several periods in Guyana’s political history.

At a Freedom House press briefing, Agriculture Minister and PPP executive member, Robert Persaud, said: “The party has received reports of a gang of about three to four persons who were in the Kitty area yesterday (Wednesday) defacing billboards, removing posters and scrolls between the hours of 18:30 hrs and 19:00 hrs. They further proceeded to a certain part of the East Bank of Demerara, where similar acts were conducted.
“The group seems very organised, limited in number, but centrally directed in terms of targeting PPP/C campaign materials.”
This dastardly act so early in the election season makes one wonder that there are elements which are bent on derailing the electoral process by creating chaos and anarchy because, they are staring defeat in the face before the start of the electoral race.

While there is no hard evidence to support this, based on past experiences, such a plan cannot be ruled out particularly when an activist of a certain organisation made some ominous threats if there is no power-sharing.

This could also be a terror tactic to intimidate PPP/C supporters and scare them away from political meetings and even polling stations on elections day.

It would be interesting to see what stance the other political parties that are contesting the elections, would take on the recent vandalsising of PPP/C election materials.

So far these parties have been mum on the matter and in this regard it would be most unfortunate if “silence means consent.”

What is almost a certainty is that the cynics among us would say that the PPP/C has carried out the vandalism itself to make it appear as if the other parties are involved, so as to gain political points.

But anyone with an objective mind would realise that the PPP/C does not need to rely on such a tactic, because the opposition has done enough on its own to discredit itself.

In any case, the PPP/C has no record of behaving in such a manner.

Creating confusion, chaos and anarchy will not benefit anyone. On the contrary, it would only take our country backwards. We have suffered too much in the past from such infantile, irresponsible and dangerous behaviour and action, which has had a tremendous, adverse impact on our development thrust.We should make all efforts
to emulate or even surpass the conduct of the last elections in 2006, which was regarded as one of the best held elections in Guyana, if not the best.

And to do that all stakeholders and their activists and supporters need to behave and act with a deep sense of responsibility and patriotic fervour.

There should be no compromise on this despite political differences.

We, as a mature people, should not allow a few misguided, irresponsible and unpatriotic elements among us to attempt to thwart the democratic process for which an epic struggle was waged to restore.

We must not allow our country to be a laughing stock of the world. We  must do our utmost to show the world that we are a civil and decent nation that would ensure our democracy is sustained.

This is not the time to turn back our clock of history. This is a time when we should all put our shoulders to the wheel to ensure that the progress made is preserved and that we continue on the path of socio-economic advancement.