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PPP stages countrywide protests against House-to-House registration – Intensifies call for elections by September 18
Supporters of the Peoples’ Progressive Party protested all across Guyana yesterday, calling for action from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to hold elections by September 18th. This follows GECOM’s recent commencement of House-to-House registration, an exercise expected to finish in October of this year or later.
Scenes from yesterday’s protests Georgetown
Scenes from yesterday’s protests Lethem
The protests were staged in Georgetown, Linden, Lethem, Port Kaituma, Anna Regina, Coldingen, Corriverton, New Amsterdam, La Grange, and Bartica.
Opposition member and former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who was on the frontline of the Georgetown protests expressed, “We are out here trying to sensitise more of our brothers and sisters that Guyana needs to confer with the most recent ruling of the CCJ (Caribbean Court of Justice)… and that requires that elections be held by September the 18th”.
“We are calling on our President to start the preparations for elections by September the 18th. All Guyanese should know that it is in their interest – and not matter which party they support – to ensure and to work for us to comply with the CCJ and with our Constitution.”
Scenes from yesterday’s protests Essequibo Coast
Scenes from yesterday’s protests Essequibo Coast
Meanwhile, hundreds of PPP supporters from across Region Six converged on the GECOM office in New Amsterdam, also calling for elections to be held by September 18th, 2019. The protesters included a number of youths from the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO), Regional Chairman David Armogan and former Mayor of Rose Hall Town, Vijay Kumar Ramu.
Party Organiser for the region, Zamal Hussain, told reporters that Region Six is disappointed with the actions taken by GECOM to commence the house-to-house registration despite the CCJ’s ruling recently. “We notice that house-to-house started, but this is an illegal act, and this in itself will take us past the date of September 18 which is the deadline for elections in Guyana”.
Scenes from yesterday’s protests Berbice
Scenes from yesterday’s protests Berbice
Scenes from yesterday’s protests Berbice
Hussain stated that so far he has received information that the majority of persons in Region Six are not taking part in the current exercise.
Regional Chairman Armogan reiterated that elections must be held by September 18th and stressed that the current house-to-house exercise will drag on past that date.
“This process they have started to have a new list will not be completed by the September deadline. GECOM has permanent staff that should always be in a state of preparedness. This is a creeping dictatorship,” Armogan said.
Meanwhile, a protester who broke down in tears while speaking to reporters on the protest line, Debra Boatswain, said she had confidence in the present regime and cast her vote in their favour, but she is now disappointed, “I am here today because Granger mek me hand fall, I voted for he and this is what he do. I never punish so yet under a government and he must go, he must go, Granger must go”.
And supporters of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic on the Essequibo Coast, also turned out in their numbers to picket against the Guyana Elections Commission [GECOM], following the commencement of house to house registration. The peaceful protest, which took place at the Commission’s Anna Regina Office, was led by Vishnu Samaroo, the supervisor of Freedom House, on the Essequibo Coast.
Exactly one week ago, the Guyana Elections Commission commenced house-to-house registration, in preparation for the next General Election. Party supporters of the PPP/C insist that the move taken by the elections commission was illegal, and that the present house-to-house registration needs to come to a halt.
Some of the protesters picketed at the Anna Regina GECOM office, while a number of additional supporters stood near the Charity office.
Vishnu Samaroo told the media yesterday that the party will continue to peacefully protest until the President announces a date for elections.
“This picketing exercise is one that the people are calling on us to do. In Charity, we had 50 or more people there. This is to call on GECOM to stop the registration and for the President to announce the date for elections. This is also to sensitise all of Guyana and the international community about how people feel about the present APNU/AFC government not honouring the CCJ ruling. We will continue these peaceful exercises to put pressure on the government and pressure on GECOM to act independently and not to take instructions from the government,” Samaroo stated.
The CCJ on June 18 validated the December 21 No-Confidence Motion paving the way for early national elections.
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