– refers to Indigenous people with derogatory term

OPPOSITION Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has found himself in hot water after making reference to the nation’s Indigenous people in a derogatory term at his press conference on Thursday.

In excerpts from a recorded Facebook live video streamed on the social media platform, Jagdeo can be heard criticising the Alliance For Change (AFC) and in his comments, he made reference to the support base of the party with derogatory word.
The recording which was live streamed on the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Facebook page has Jagdeo uttering the following words.

“I was in Fyrish Village last week, key activists there said no. I was in Lima in Essequibo Coast, their key activists came to our meeting, they have seen it on the ground … they have seen it and this is happening…. It is an avalanche, it’s not like trickles, it’s a deluge of their support. Every (derogatory word) who believe that they stood for something that was different now have seen the true nature of the AFC.”

The opposition leader in a statement on Saturday disputed the contents of the video.
According to Jagdeo, his words were “… it is an avalanche, it’s not trickles, it’s a deluge – everybody (cut short), people who believed that they stood for something that was different, have now seen the true nature of the AFC.”

Jagdeo said that in the context of his criticism of the AFC, “The discussion had absolutely nothing to do with Amerindians.”

He said the statement was made in the presence of the entire media corps “and not a single person there thought I made a derogatory statement. In fact, there was an extensive question and answer session and the matter never came up.”

On Saturday, a reporter attached to the Guyana Times, which has close links to Jagdeo and the Opposition, noted in a post under the video posted by former executive of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Lenox Shuman that Jagdeo in fact used the derogatory term.
“The video was not tampered with. This is exactly what was said at the press conference,” the reporter said.

“Only warped minds or desperate politicians (and there are many around now) would think that after a lifetime of struggling for greater respect, rights and development for our Amerindian brothers and sister, I would resort to the use of a word that I find personally reprehensible,” Jagdeo said in his statement.

Jagdeo, a former President, is no stranger to controversial statements. In 2015, he was charged for race baiting but the matter was thrown out by the High Court.
The comments by the opposition leader received criticism all day Saturday on social media by members of the public including members of non-governmental Indigenous organisations.