Latest update November 23rd, 2024 1:00 AM
Latest News
Nomination Day 2015…Large crowds, high spirits, scattered drizzles and police face-offs
By Abena Rockcliffe
The overall number of those who assembled at City Hall yesterday must be
PPPC nomination Day
somewhere in the tens of thousands. It was Nomination Day and citizens made no qualms to turnout in support of the Political party of their choice.
Occasional confrontations between police and politicians, police and supporters, supporters of People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and supporters of the Coalition and a few scattered drizzles characterized the scene in the vicinity of City Hall yesterday.
Executive members of the PPP/C as well as Party supporters marched down the streets in their numbers and assembled at City Hall. PPP had a good turnout and the party’s theme song seemed to one well liked by supporters who jived to the music. PPP representatives waved their t-shirts and other party paraphernalia in the faces of some coalition supporters, but it was all taken in good fate as coalition supports just waved back.
After a few minutes outside City Hall, incumbent President Donald Ramotar entered the compound accompanied by top ranking Party officials including PPP General Secretary,
APNU nomination day
Clement Rohee, Prime Ministerial hopeful, Elisabeth Harper and incumbent Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds.
PPP’s List of Candidates is being headed by Ramotar
After presenting the List to officials of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Ramotar and his entourage left. Even after they vacated the area, scores remained to see when the coalition would arrive.
APNU+AFC arrived in style with crowds simultaneously pouring in from different directions. Guyana’s songbird Lisa Punch led the coalition youth to City Hall.
While PPP had no problem with the police, members of the A Partnership For National Unity and Alliance For Change coalition hadn’t the same fortunes.
It all started when Oscar Clarke and Amna Ally were barred from entering City Hall’s premises. One senior police officer told the two that they could not have entered because the Theocracy Party was upstairs at the time. Clarke explained to the police that he wasn’t going to disrupt any proceeding but just wanted to enter the premises. The police stood firm in his position that Clarke and Ally were not to enter the premises at that time because it was not APNU+AFC’s turn.
Clarke further explained that the two of them alone could not form the contingent needed to go upstairs “it is just us, there are many more to come, what you think we want to go and do up there? We just need to sort out something,” Clarke told the officer, but the lawman made it clear that no meant no. However, the two eventually got to go in after another officer intervened and said, “Ow, don’t harass Mr. Clarke.”
When it was eventually time for the Party to enter, there was even more drama. The police had to call for back up, as the crowd was too much and apparently everyone wanted to go in.
Because of this, even some of the senior members of the coalition had a hard time entering the gates. Rupert Roopnaraine and Annette Ferguson were among those who almost didn’t get to enter the premises. In fact, Ferguson literally had to fend off two police ranks just to get past the gate in order to enter the chambers with her party.
Those who got to go in hassle-free had to count the lucky raindrops since there were no stars out.
OTHER DRAMA
The controversial Johnny Welshman did not miss yesterday’s event. He found himself outside of City Hall with a placard erected which read “Granger is no stranger to Danger…”
Not only did Welshman erect his placard, he also made occasional utterances which did not go down well with mostly women supporters of APNU+AFC. One woman was just about to accost him when another cautioned her saying “girl don’t waste your strength behind that waste, they want us to react.”
SOOBA
Town Clerk (ag), Carol Sooba was also in campaign mode yesterday. She went to work all decked in a red skirt suit. However she apparently “crossed the line” when she decided she wanted the curtains in the chambers to match her outfit.
The Mayor and City Council yesterday sent a release expressing “disgust and frustration at the very strange actions of the Town Clerk (ag), Carol Sooba.”
The Council complained that Sooba ordered “brilliant red” curtains to be placed in the chamber where nominations by political parties contesting General and Regional Elections took place.
However, Mayor Hamilton Green instructed that the red curtains be removed and replaced by another colour.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Let us not be silent witnesses!
…Peeping Tom kaieteur News- Ray Daggers walked from Corriverton to Charity. It was a journey so epic it might have... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
