PPP is hatching plan to rig 2011 elections- APNU

Nov 19, 2011 News

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“As we approach Elections Day, it is crystal clear that the PPP has already begun the process of preparing to rig the 2011 General and Regional Elections….in their desperate bid to hang on to power as well as to the State Treasury,” said party member for the APNU, Malcolm Harripaul.
Harripaul made that statement on Thursday at the Party’s weekly press briefing at the APNU office on Regent Street.
Harripaul told the media that the dictators are at the stage of creating a facade by paying, feeding, trucking and bussing in people from all over Guyana to their rallies.
He said that move is aimed at deceiving the Diplomatic Corps and overseas observers that the government has popular support.
Harripaul said that the reality is that the PPP today is the most unpopular regime in the history of Guyana.
“It is as popular as the “Massas of slavery and indentureship were” Harripaul said.
He further said that the PPP, traditional supporters are staying away from the party’s public meetings.
Harripaul said that it comes as no surprise since the “Jagdeo cabal”, after dictatorially foisting Donald Ramotar on the PPP membership was forced to cancel the PPP’s 21St Congress which was constitutionally due this year.
He said that the president and Donald Ramotar could not face the PPP membership. Harripaul said that the new ‘Massas’ offered them racial fear-mongering.
However, he said that the ‘Massas’ are well aware that racial fear mongering will not work.
Therefore, he said the only way they (government) can remain in office is by rigging the elections.
He further highlighted reasons for his conclusion, one being that the regime has refused international funding for the Elections Commission thereby, making the Commission vulnerable to the pressures of the regime.
A PPP and Indo-centric person who ‘publishes’ polls has stated that the PPP was the most popular party.
Harripaul said that President Jagdeo has invited seven groups of international observers.
At this point it is clear what the PPP’s defense of the rigging will be. President Jagdeo will then say, “If we wanted to rig the elections why would I have invited international observers?”
“All the polls showed that the PPP would win. Look at the massive crowds at our rallies.” The PPP is currently transporting rented crowds to its rallies in an effort at conning international observers into declaring the elections free and fair, he said.
At this stage the elections could hardly be described as free and fair with the PPP’s monopolization and abuse of government and state resources in its campaign.
Harripaul said that the party is also concerned over a report coming from an Amerindian community, during a PPP meeting where the speaker, Gopaul Singh, tried to misinform the community.
“If you don’t vote for the PPP you will not receive engines, boats or laptops,” was the message villagers got.
Another concern for the party, according to Harripaul, was the circulation of flyers stating that “Put your X next to the cup…..anywhere else would spoil the vote”.
He described the entire situation as “mis-educating the voters which is a devious act”.
Harripaul further stated that its APNU belief that on Election Day the PPP will attempt to have its activists intimidate Indo Guyanese to go out and vote PPP.
He said that the PPP would get the ‘PPP friendly’ polling officials to mark up ballots for the PPP.  They will take care not to raise a red flag by exceeding the voters’ list.
He said that while opposition scrutineers may stymie rigging at the Polling Place, the greatest danger lies at GECOM’s data processing centre
According to Harripaul, many information technology specialists have advised that GECOM’s software could be compromised and programmed directly or by remote control to steal votes for the PPP.
He said that in recent years the regime, in tandem with the criminal enterprises, have been involved in tapping the telephones and hacking into the computers of opposition figures.
A.P.N.U said that it is reminding GECOM of its responsibility to ensure that the systems and procedures are strictly adhered to and that every effort is made to ensure that the 2011 General and Regional Elections are conducted in a manner that is demonstrably free and fair and free from fear.
A.P.N.U also wishes to place the PPP, its collaborators and servants on notice that “we have put arrangements in place to ensure that there is a level playing field for these Elections.”
Meanwhile APNU sought to highlight the party’s campaign update. This week the party would be hosting two major rallies.
Today the party will be at Mahdia, Region Eight. Last night it was in New Amsterdam.

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