Ali calls out APNU/AFC “leaders” for fearmongering

…urges them to be responsible, stop driving fear in supporters

In the wake of at times incendiary commentary on social media from some individuals, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Presidential Candidate Dr Irfaan Ali has urged that leaders be responsible and not contribute to, or use, fearmongering.

Ali made this pronouncement on Monday during a broadcast programme hosted by Television Guyana (TVG-28). He was asked about the fear that exists in sections of society regarding the elections, which the National Recount has shown the PPP won by 15,416 votes. He replied as follows: “A lot of the fear that exists today comes from the type of narrative that people are spilling out there. I don’t want to call persons who’re doing this (thing) leaders; they can never be classified as leaders. A leader is a transformational person,” he said.

“If you look at the (social media pages) of some of those who consider themselves leaders, their social media comments and what they’re calling for and insinuating, and the way they’re trying to mislead people, it is astonishing. That itself drives fear. What they’re doing is designed to drive fear and bring discomfort. It is designed to make you feel fearful, threatened existence.”
According to this presidential candidate, it is important that persons maintain perspective on shared values and the things that unite Guyana, rather than allow certain political leaders to use fearmongering tactics to gain political capital.
“So, we can’t succumb to that narrative. If we succumb to that narrative, then we’re playing into their hands. We have to destroy that narrative. And you can only destroy that narrative by embracing an inclusionary, collective vision for all Guyanese,” he declared.

“That’s why you have to stick on a narrative that is positive, one that promotes Guyana and Guyanese and love and harmony. They can’t entrap you in a narrative. The real threats and issues must be addressed.”
Elections were held since March 2, 2020, but a winner is yet to be declared. The certified results from the legally conducted recount exercise supervised by GECOM and a high-level team from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) show that the PPP/C won with 233,336 votes, while the APNU/AFC garnered 217,920.
However, APNU/AFC leaders have been dogged in their determination to hang on to power, and deny that they were defeated. The leadership has been almost uniform in accusing the PPP/C and the international community of being in cahoots to remove them from power, despite the complete lack of evidence for those claims.
In fact, APNU/AFC has flip-flopped from arguing that the elections were credible to seeking to impugn its credibility. In the process, they have also whipped up their base into the belief that they won the elections.
Caretaker President David Granger’s own son-in-law, former Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, has made a statement in which he conceded that APNU/AFC lost the elections to the PPP/C, and called out his party’s leadership for fooling supporters.
On the same day, coalition partner Justice For All Party (JFAP) founder CN Sharma broke away from APNU/AFC’s dogged refusal to accept defeat at the March 2 polls. In a statement, Sharma made clear that enough is enough and it is time for the country to move on.
He has chastised those bent on dragging out the process, and has extended congratulations to the PPP/C on their win. Sharma pointed out that the National Recount was carried out, and from the votes counted, it is clear the PPP/C is the winner. As such, he has urged that PPP/C Presidential Candidate Dr Irfaan Ali be sworn in without delay.
Sharma has also called the last 108 days exhausting, and has said that people are starving and suffering, due to the economic slowdown triggered by the COVID-19.
And incumbent Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan was caught on a recording conceding defeat to his Ministry staff during a farewell speech he had given. In that speech, Ramjattan had acknowledged the PPP winning by some 15,000 votes, and had told the gathering he was willing to move on.