CHAIRMAN of the No. 52/74 Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Anil Ramgahan, on Tuesday morning, ordered the overseer and staff of his NDC to remove the photos of President David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and cabinet from the walls of the building and after they refused he decided to remove them himself and placed them on the floor.

According to a councillor of the said NDC, Lakeram Singh, he received a call from staff of the NDC that the chairman came in at around 10:10hrs and ordered the staff to take a pair of scissors and shred the photos of the government officials that were hanging on the walls.

The staff refused to budge and the chairman decided to instruct the overseer, Ravindra Dass, who also refused. After realising no one was complying with his order he decided to rip the photos off the walls and placed them on the floor. The chairman of the NDC reportedly refused to answer the staff who questioned the reason behind his actions and left immediately after committing the act.

Singh, who was conducting business at Skeldon at the time left promptly and was accompanied by the Regional representative of the Office of the Prime Minister, Gobin Harbhajan, as they went into the NDC to question the chairman but he had already left. They subsequently made a report at the Number 51 Police Station and was told the police are seeking advice on the matter.

“His actions were very disrespectful and unlawful and I would like to know what the motive behind his actions was or who is the person that advised him to commit this wicked act,” Singh related.

He continued that President David Granger is still in charge of the country and will remain President until general elections are held and the action by the chairman is very unbecoming since he needs to be respectful of the offices of the President and Prime Minister.

Singh, who has been an APNU+AFC councillor at the NDC, noted that the NDC is the largest in the country and is controlled by the opposition PPP. He noted that the actions of the NDC is bent on stymieing development since they are afraid it will make the residents be more supportive of the government and the opposition will lose votes. Meanwhile in an invited comment, Harbajan also condemned the actions of the NDC Chairman calling it “immature and disrespectful”, noting that it seems to be bent on creating tension in the region.

Tuesday’s acts seem to fit into a pattern by the PPP over recent months. Only recently supporters of that party led by its presidential candidate, Irfaan Ali threatened to overturn the vehicle of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings, during a protest outside of the Pegasus Hotel. Inside the hotel some of its MPs also disrupted the President’s address at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association luncheon. Their actions have been roundly condemned.