…gov’t deplores actions, urges widespread condemnation

THE Government of Guyana on Monday strongly condemned what it described as “belligerent, inciting, and inflammatory” statements made by Opposition Leader, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Sunday during an address at Babu Jaan, Port Mourant, East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six).

Jagdeo was at the time addressing a poorly attended memorial for the late former President, Dr Cheddi Jagan. The memorial was boycotted by top leaders of the PPP as they continue to protest Jagdeo’s handpicking of Irfaan Ali as the party’s presidential candidate for the next elections.

On Sunday, Jagdeo continued to ratchet up calls against the government, telling the Berbice gathering: “Here in Berbice and right across Guyana when the ministers or [President David] Granger or [Prime Minister Moses] Nagamootoo come here after the 21st of March, you say to them, chase them out.”

In a statement on Monday, government deemed the remarks as “irresponsible”, noting that Mr. Jagdeo’s “inciting can result in a breach of the law and must be condemned as unacceptable, malicious and mischievous.” The statement went on to say that Jagdeo has a history of wanton utterances and his most recent at Babu Jaan “has serious implications on peace, race relations and national security, particularly in an election year.”

“The government notes that any call to violence or a breach of public order must be deplored. All Guyanese can be assured, that law enforcement agencies will take action against anyone who engages in unlawful behaviour and any attempts to “chase” the President, prime minister or ministers of the government out of any region of Guyana.”
Back in February, amid concerns that his rhetoric can lead to serious instability, Jagdeo had threatened that there would be no business as usual if his party’s demand for elections by March 19 this year was not met.

Jagdeo had made similar threats when President David Granger found his nominees for the post of chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission ‘not fit and proper.’ In the aftermath of the no-confidence vot e, civil society and the diplomatic community have been urging all parties to remain calm and not to provoke the peace. Back in 2018, following President Granger’s appointment of Justice James Patterson as the Chairman of GECOM, Jagdeo had threatened: “If they think they can rig the elections and have the kind of peace that we have now…they are wrong…they are very, very wrong.”

He added then, “I hope they are not thinking that in their calculations and it is not coded language.” The former President has been criticised over the years for being intemperate. He had used similar language in March 2015 at a Babu Jaan rally when he told his successor, Donald Ramotar: “The past three years must have been a nightmare to Ramotar…Sometimes we need to administer something else, some kicks up the asses,” the former President had said.

In a release, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) rejects as misleading the Ministry of the Presidency’s characterisation of comments made by the PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, at Babu Jaan, Port Mourant on March 10, 2019, as “inflammatory”.

The PPP general gecretary was clear in his call for peaceful protests by party members and supporters after March 21, 2019 – the constitutionally mandated deadline for General and Regional Elections, following the passage of the no-confidence motion. The PPP general secretary was clear in his message – after March 21, 2019, the APNU+AFC coalition government becomes illegal, illegitimate and unconstitutional.