DESPERATION of the political opposition has been manifested and compounded by “thuggery” and “hooliganism” in an organised manner that indicates that supporters of the Alliance of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) are being prepared for defeat at the upcoming polls.This strongly held contention was expressed by former president and People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) executive, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, at a news conference yesterday.
“They are getting desperate,” he said.
His comments follow a chaotic incident on Wednesday night at Warlock, East Ruimveldt, where a PPP/C public meeting was interrupted by a band of political Opposition supporters. PPP/C flags were burned, APNU+AFC supporters involved children in the mayhem they incited, and missiles were hurled at speakers, including party stalwart, Dr. Roger Luncheon. Up to press time, no one was reportedly injured.
The incident was widely criticised, given that it occurred on the same day that political parties inked a Code of Conduct aimed at guiding the manner in which campaigning is conducted and these sentiments were reiterated by Dr. Jagdeo.
“This is hours after the signing of the Code of Conduct and you had senior members of the APNU+AFC there,” he said, naming George Norton as one of the officials at Warlock.
He also pointed to other similar moves to intimidate PPP/C members and supporters, including the destruction of PPP/C campaign paraphernalia and the stoning of the home of a PPP/C supporter in Linden, Region 10.
“We have to condemn this in the strongest terms and we hope that GECOM and the international observers are paying attention to this,” the former president said.
The former president charged that these incidents are an addition to the “attacks on personalities,” which deflect from “dealing with issues” – something he stressed that must be the focus of the ongoing elections campaign.
“The Opposition seems to think that if it goes after individuals it will win the elections. I wonder why and I concluded that they cannot deal with the issues, the issues of their track record, the issue of their contradictory positions in parliament, anti-national positions and their lack of vision for development…if you can’t deal with the issues the best way to pursue your campaign and propagate it is to go after individuals,” he said.
Dr. Jagdeo waded into the Kaieteur News in particular for what he described as aiding the political Opposition with their agenda.
“Rumours are elevated to truth [in these reports],” he lamented, calling for there to be a greater deal of fact- checking.
The former president also stressed that the ongoing election campaigns need to shift paradigms, with the interest of the Guyanese people kept in focus. (Vanessa Narine)