PPP disrupts meeting with Mohamed and Berbice residents

Mar 27, 2025 News

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—10-day workers forced to join protest 

Kaieteur News- A peaceful meeting between businessman Azruddin Mohamed and Letter Kenny residents descended into chaos on Tuesday when supporters of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), allegedly led by Region Six Vice Chairman Zamal Hussain, disrupted the gathering.

According to a Facebook post made by Team Mohamed’s on Wednesday, it was stated that, although the businessman had been invited by the residents, his visit resulted in a standoff between a group of 10-day workers and councilors who were allegedly instructed to create raucous. “Hussain, during the commotion, was heard ordering his agents to slap supporters of Team Mohamed’s, which resulted in his agent chucking a supporter,” the statement highlighted. Notably, the protestors were not from Letter Kenny but were transported to the community by a bus from Freedom House, New Amsterdam, according to Team Mohamed’s.

Teams Mohamed’s said in the statement, “This disruption has become a common tactic of the PPP to prevent any interaction between Team Mohamed’s and the citizens. Despite these efforts to discourage him from engaging with the community and listening to their concerns, Mr. Mohamed remains undeterred.” Team Mohamed’s asserted that despite the disruption, the residents were determined to share their daily struggles.

In addition, according to a video posted on Team Mohamed’s Facebook page, a resident of Letter Kenny was heard saying, “Video this big man (Hussain) he telling the girl to slap Mr. Ramayya (Dr. Veerasammy Ramayya), video him.”  After the man spoke, another man accompanying Hussain pushed him and told the resident, “Go suh.” This led to a brief scuffle between the two.

The altercation did not stop there. PPP supporters were seen holding placards and mocking the meeting, attempting to block residents from entering. One of the residents was heard saying, “This Government is not a one Guyana, it’s for themselves, you can see all the ten-day workers, they come and protest.” Another resident added, “That’s dictatorship, how you could threaten the people, threaten the people livelihoods, in this country, because you supporting a political party or a human, one single person, you gon lose yuh job, what nonsense!”

Throughout the meeting, residents shared their hardships, including poor living conditions, lack of sanitation, and the government’s failure to address their needs. One woman shared, “I am 84 years of age, I don’t have a toilet, I don’t have a bathroom, I barely got a room to sleep, rain falling (and) coming in everybody there, I have one room. Only now fuh we all gan down the ground and nobody is helping, so what happen, the PPP government not helping.”

Another resident, showing video footage of flood damage, said, “When the rain falls, the whole yard flood, all my ducks die out, all meh chicken die and my pigs them die. You could come now and see, now the water going down. I ain’t getting no help on to now.”

A common theme throughout the testimonies was a feeling of abandonment by the government. Many residents complained about threats of retaliation for speaking out, and feared losing their jobs or facing other consequences for not participating in political protests.  A woman said, “This is the Government, if you so love the people, why you threatening the people to knock them off. People give them (PPP Government) a fair chance and a fair game and them doing a lot of wrong, that’s why when people talk, them silence you. Them making people hand fall.”

Mohamed expressed empathy for the 10-day workers, many of whom, according to him reportedly felt forced to participate in the protest. “The ten-day workers, I understand the situation they are in. They are forcing them to do things they don’t want to do because whilst walking coming in, they told me quietly, ‘Mr. Mohamed, we don’t want to do this but they are forcing us to do this,’ so I understand the position they are in.”

Mohamed highlighted his humanitarian approach, stating that he had come to the meeting with the sole purpose of listening to the concerns of the residents. He expressed deep empathy for their struggles, highlighting the difficult circumstances they face. “I can’t believe people are living in those conditions. Even if they (the 10-day workers protesters) come to me now to voice their concern I will listen to them, that’s one people, one nation, one destiny. You don’t discriminate against anyone, regardless of their political beliefs,” the businessman told the crowd.

Dr. Ramayya, who recently resigned from his government job as Coordinator for the Region Six Rapid Response Taskforce, described the actions of the PPP supporters and Hussain as a “very disgraceful act.” “The Vice Chairman was already there with the protesters and their placards. So, then we (Team Mohamed’s, along with his supporters) went through the crowd and went to the people’s house. Now as soon the discussion was going on, all of them had placards and she (a councilor) was cursing. So, when I came out, she walk up to me and say she will slap me because I left the PPP, and then I said if you only do that, I could break up all she teeth in she mouth,” Dr. Ramayya told this publication.

Contacted on the issue, Hussain strongly denied the allegations, claiming that the majority of people present at the meeting were residents from the area. He further accused Team Mohamed of attempting to sway 10-day workers by offering them money, suggesting that Mohamed was using his wealth to influence the vulnerable workers. “The meeting he (Mohamed) had … was mostly with 10-day workers. So, he is using the 10-day workers for meeting to reach with them, because the people vulnerable he is trying to persuade them, trying to give them some money, using his wealth to try persuade the people, so that they can come with him that’s basically what’s happening,” Hussain told Kaieteur News. The Region Six Vice Chairman stated that the residents of Letter Kenny had become agitated upon learning about this, as they believed Mohamed was attempting to manipulate them with financial incentives. “The people was agitated, they don’t want him there because they supporting the president and he trying to come persuade people with some cronies and the AFC (Alliance For Change).” Hussain claims that he did not lead the protest. He explained that when he heard about the growing crowd, he went to the scene to observe the situation and to “calm protestors down.” He noted that the protest was driven by the residents and not him.

PPP intimidating citizens

In a statement, the AFC expressed growing concern over reports of intimidation tactics being employed by agents of the ruling PPP. This issue is particularly troubling as the country prepares for the General and Regional Elections, scheduled for later this year, according to AFC. “The fact that there has been no condemnation or rebuke of such behaviour by the leaders of the PPP, is a clear indication that these subversive actions are not only sanctioned by the hierarchy of the PPP but are organised and carried out at their bidding and with their full approval and support,” the party said.

The AFC condemns the actions of PPP activists who are preventing citizens from exercising their constitutional rights, disrupting peaceful assemblies, and engaging in rowdy behaviour. AFC stated that such actions create a negative climate ahead of the upcoming elections and are intended to intimidate not only opponents of the PPP but also its traditional supporters who are seeking change and better governance. The AFC also notes the troubling absence of police forces, whose role it is to maintain order and protect citizens’ rights. The party called on the Police Commissioner to ensure that all divisions uphold the rights of citizens to assemble peacefully. Failing to do so would be a dereliction of duty, as the police are sworn to protect and serve the public

(PPP disrupts meeting with Mohamed and Berbice residents)

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• Azurundin Mohamed, chaos, meeting, protest, Zamal Hussain

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