ACTIVISTS aligned with the political Opposition were seen on the West Coast of Demerara, between Cornelia Ida and Blankenburg, late last night, removing the flags of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).This reporter was also a witness to such activities, last night.

At approximately 22:30 hrs the PPP/C flags were being replaced with those of the alliance of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC). Notably, the first set of flags representing the main Opposition only carried the APNU trademark. The news ones mounted last night had the ‘AFC’ lettering thatched to the end of the APNU flags.
When contacted by the Guyana Chronicle, the PPP/C Region 3 representative, Irfaan Ali, disclosed that two reports were made to the closest police station, where the illegal act was being committed, the Den Amstel police station.
“Tonight (last night) three different vehicles were identified up and down the coast involved in this activity,” Ali said, “This is the fourth time we have has cause to make a report to the police about such acts.”
The regional rep, also the Minister of Housing and Water as well as Tourism, Industry and Commerce, added that the first three visits related to flags being pulled down, as well as posters and billboards being destroyed.
Minister Ali said, “Not only are they pulling down our campaign materials they are willfully and maliciously covering our materials with their own. They have also become so callous that in villages where we have a stronghold of support, they are going into those villages and pulling down our campaign materials.”
As at 23:00 hrs last night, he disclosed that the Region 3 PPP/C activists received a commitment by police ranks to escort them to where the illegal acts were being committed.
Up to press time it was unclear what action was taken by police ranks.
Ali bemoaned the actions as provocative, particularly in light more glaring incidents at Stewartville, the site for the PPP/C’s upcoming rally on Sunday.
“We have a lot of preparation done at the rally site and a lot of our materials have been destroyed. This is a direct signal that they want to upset our plans for the rally,” Minister Ali said.
All considered, the Region 3 representative has since appealed to all PPP/C supporters to not act on the provocations of the political Opposition and also not to be intimidated by the dastardly acts.
In the last week, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has made public advertisements that warn against such endeavours. The law on activities like removing, damaging or defacing any election campaign material is clear: those acts are criminal. (Vanessa Narine)