-Jagdeo clarifies; says ‘cross-overs’ remain part of PPP family

WHAT was described as desperation and the behavior of a sore loser, the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday exposed the lies being peddled by several opposition members and their supporters that persons, especially in the South Georgetown area, would’ve had their contracts rescinded after the Local Government Elections (LGEs).

Jagdeo during a press conference at Freedom House, labelled these lies as shameful behaviour coming from the country’s main opposition.

He said: “…only a party that has no shame would lie like this. I just told you about our great success in many of their strongholds in South Georgetown. I have given you the numbers and they said that we were rescinding contracts to people and they spread another rumour that we were going to fire all the part-time workers.”

According to Jagdeo, the reason the members of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) have turned to these manipulative tactics is because even though they won Georgetown, the mere fact that the PPP was able to intercept their strongholds highlights what the Guyanese people think of them.

NO VICTIMISATION

Moreover, the PPP General Secretary quashed the allegations that those who benefitted from the part-time job initiative were sacked after the polls.

He remarked that the workers were never coerced to support the PPP and all those who publicly endorsed the party did so on their own account.

“We never asked the part-time workers like they would have done, bullied them into voting for the PPP,” he related before explaining that the improvements to everyone’s life, would persuade anyone to vote for more employment opportunities and improved health care.

“We’re not firing any part-time workers. In fact, we hope to expand this scheme…The business grant that we’ve had will continue [and] in many parts of the country people will continue to get help with the business grant. So please don’t listen to the rumours spread by these desperate people,” he advised the public.

Additionally, in exposing the traditional bully-type behaviour displayed by the opposition, Jagdeo disclosed that the head of the PPP Linden candidate list, Dr. Shurdon Murray, faced many harsh attacks during the campaign trail from APNU supporters.

Describing how Murray is an excellent person for embracing what he believes in, Jagdeo stated: “I’ve had calls from some people. Look at what they tried to do with the lead of our list from Linden who is a pastor. They tried to vilify him every day, urging people not to go to his church and all sorts of things, threatening him personally and he stood his ground; this was before the election. He stood his ground because he’s a very dignified person, if you have a chance to talk to him, you’d find out how dignified and conscientious he is.”

Furthermore, he expressed immense proudness in those cross-over candidates, who, although they did not win in their constituencies, stood up and showed persons that they should not stick by tradition but vote based on national interest.

The PPP General Secretary proudly remarked: “What I think these crossover candidates did, they are very courageous people. They knew everything was stacked against them. They knew they were contesting in APNU strongholds and they made that decision to cross to us.”

“I said to them, I met with everyone before the elections and I said to them, we’re a party once you enter our family. That’s it. We cling on to you. So, all of those people who supported us and voted for us, we see them as part of our family now,” he affirmed.