Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has repeated his call for People’s Progressive Party (PPP) supporters to chase President David Granger and Government Ministers out of their communities after March 21 which is the deadline for General and Regional elections.
At a press conference on Thursday at his Church Street, Georgetown Office, the Opposition Leader said, “I am repeating it, when the Ministers come or [President David] Granger or [Prime Minister, Moses] Nagamootoo, you have to…chase them out of the communities right across Guyana because they would be illegal and unconstitutional.”
The Opposition Leader first made the comment on Sunday at Babu Jaan, Port Mourant East Berbice Corentyne where he was addressing supporters at a memorial for the party’s founder, Dr Cheddi Jagan.
The comment was condemned by the Government which described it as “inciting and inflammatory.”
The Government’s Region Six Parliamentarian, Barbara Pilgrim has written to the Legal Investigator of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) to sanction Mr Jagdeo since she noted that the comments can create ethnic tensions and confusion in the Region.
Referring to the letter sent to the ERC, Mr. Jagdeo on Thursday made it clear that he at no time referred to ordinary supporters of any party but specifically to the Government since they will be “squatting in power.”
“[They] can’t come to our communities, refuse to abide by the Constitution and expect us to welcome you with garlands,” Jagdeo further stated.
However, the Opposition Leader said he is not inciting violence in anyway but pointed out that his supporters are being asked to question the Government: “Why are you here now? Where were you…in the last four years? Where were you when we needed houselots? You only need us now, are we a vote bank? If you had not faced the No-Confidence Motion, would you have been here? And why don’t you comply with the Constitution? I don’t want to listen to you, get out of here.”
Jagdeo also disclosed that that post-March 21, his party will be leading several protests forcing the Government to call elections.
“We will target the few of them who are the transgressors. We will target the Ministers and we will target the President and we will target the Prime Minister, not with violence…but with protests…and with legal actions.”
However, he assured that his party will not advocate for the shutting down of the entire Government since any such move will affect the payment of public servants.
