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Jagdeo defends PPP “walkout” during flag-raising ceremony

Jun 02, 2016 News

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, during a press conference held at Freedom House yesterday, expressed what he considers clear misconceptions about his party’s actions at the national flag raising event.
He defended his Members of Parliament who decided to leave the ceremony after enduring a delay in getting seats in the VIP section. He claimed that he is addressing the issue to clarify the several misconceptions regarding their actions that evening.
“We arrived before some Ministers and before the Prime Minister and President arrived; we arrived on time.”
Jagdeo discredited claims that the PPP members arrived at the event late, stating that they were required to arrive at the event at 9:45pm.
To address the issue of finding parking at such a widely anticipated event, he and his Members of Parliament agreed to charter a bus. They all assembled at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and left at 9:00pm thereby arriving at Durban Park around 9:25pm – 9:30pm.
This is contrary to what was reported by Minister Henry in her issued statement which noted that the PPP contingent arrived at 9:55pm, Jagdeo said.
Jagdeo said he had no intention as it is claimed, to upstage the arrival of President Granger and he found such a claim erroneous.
He credited this rumour to the fact that his vehicle was circling the parking lot for a space, and thus would have given the organizers the idea that he had arrived.
Jagdeo stated that the party had several concerns regarding the planning and execution of all national Jubilee events. Among those concerns were the provision of adequate seating for the party’s MPs at the event.
Jagdeo recounted that on May 23, 2016, PPP Chief Whip, Ms. Gail Texeira explained to him that there seemed to be some confusion regarding seating at the event.
Acting on this information, he intimated that he approached Culture Minister and subject Minister for the Jubilee celebrations, Ms. Nicolette Henry, to query whether she had made arrangements for him and MPs to be seated in the VIP section on May 26, 2016.
Jagdeo said that Minister Henry had assured him that seating for the PPP contingent will be provided. Jagdeo said that out of an abundance of caution, he asked Ms. Teixeira to raise the issue at a later date. He said that she received similar assurance.
Mr. Jagdeo stated that upon their arrival, he and former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds were offered seats. The remaining PPP contingent was forced to wait on seating to be provided. Jagdeo said that other individuals were given seats in front of the PPP MPs who were already present.
In addition to the PPP MPs, there were other dignitaries including Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, left without seats.
Jagdeo described the experience as being humiliating and unacceptable. He spoke to Minister Henry who told him she was aware of the situation but made no indication that she was in the process of arranging seats for those without.
Jagdeo later said that he believes that the situation “…was designed to humiliate people, but at worst it was incompetence.”
The PPP leader recommended that the embarrassing situation could have been simply avoided if specific reservations were made for them.
He added that half of those who were seated in the VIP section were mere revellers, most of whom he could not recognize.
In their obvious discontent with the situation, the party membership decided to leave after the arrival of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and President David Granger.
Minister Henry in her statement believed that the PPP wanted to create the embarrassing situation.
Some critics of the now famous “Walkout” have posited that the party membership could have stayed at the event, despite the obvious confusion so as to show national support for their country and its people for achieving this monumental milestone, 50 years of political independence and sovereignty. Jagdeo responded, “I couldn’t stay there as a leader and watch all of our MPs with their spouses, just standing there in the corridor, when you have a VIP area with a thousand seats, and you (organizers) couldn’t find seats for 25 of them.”

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