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A divisive and dangerous campaign

Apr 28, 2019 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

 

“The more things change; the more they remain the same.” This phrase coined by French writer, Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr in 1848 can best summarise the campaign posture of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) in the run-up to general and regional elections in Guyana.
The PPP has launched a dirty, divisive and dangerous campaign. The party’s General Secretary and its apparent campaign manager and spokesperson, Bharrat Jagdeo, set the tone with his address at the annual commemoration at Babu Jaan on March 10.
To the uninitiated, the type of language used may seem abhorrent, but history has shown that this is exactly the PPP’s style of campaigning. One only has to look back at the 2015 general and regional elections campaign and a clear pattern emerges.
The PPP as part of its campaign strategy has also employed the tactic of peddling lies. In August 2014, President Ramotar falsely claimed that Leader of the Opposition, Brigadier David Granger, had knowledge of 155 weapons that went missing from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) while he was the Commander. Ramotar knew this to be false but it was all part of the PPP script to misinform and create fear.
Recently, the Peoples National Congress Reform- PNCR – had cause to strongly condemn the gross misinformation contained in a PPP press release dated, April 15th 2019. In that release the PPP erroneously and mischievously stated that the Guyana Police Force was instructed by Congress Place and the Office of the President to arrest, detain and charge Opposition Leader and General Secretary of the PPP, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo.
This was reminiscent of the PPP’s December 2014 press statement bashing APNU and accusing David Granger of being “in bed with the criminal underworld.”In its release, the PPP pointed to APNU leader David Granger and noted his attendance at “the funeral of a criminal killed by police.” The funeral alluded to was that of Shaquille Grant. On December 4, 2014 after public outcry and a demand for an apology from Grant’s mother, the PPP apologised, saying that there was no justification for the statement made. However, the damage was already done.
We are in an election cycle and once again we can see a similar pattern of behaviour coming from the PPP. Speaking to supporters of his party, General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo said… “This is the beginning of the fight to take back our country…” What dangerous message was Bharrat Jagdeo sending to this section of the electorate?
It must be recalled that in 2015 the Carter Centre accused the PPP of stoking racial tensions between Indian and African Guyanese during the general and regional elections. In its report, the Carter Centre said that the 2015 elections campaign was fiercely fought, and several themes coloured the general environment: ethnic politics, as both a uniting and dividing factor; historical struggles among political parties; the need for continuity and change; and underlying threats of violence.
Since losing the May 11, 2015 general and regional elections, the PPP has deliberately set out to destabilise the Coalition government. The PPP in the person of Bharrat Jagdeo has engaged in a weekly coalition bashing, hoping to drown out the symphony of progress that is taking place in every region of Guyana. Over the last forty-two months, the behaviour of this former President has harmed rather than helped the Republic. Instead of advocating for a one nation policy; working to eradicate ethnic rivalries, fear and distrust, this leader of the PPP has chosen to do the opposite.
By their daily criticism of everything that is done by the Coalition government and its leaders, the PPP’s strategy is to stoke fear, doubt and hopelessness in the minds of the people. They are hoping that the people will forget their 30 years of misrule, corruption, nepotism, favouritism, murder and hate. They are hoping that their gloom and doom message will blind the gullible to the steady progress that has been made and continue to be made under this government.

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