LGE 2023: Jagdeo calls out Norton for ‘lies’ about making inroads in PPP strongholds

– reiterates APNU failed miserably to increase votes in GT

Claims made by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) that it made inroads in People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) strongholds were on Thursday dismissed by General Secretary of the PPP, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton claimed at a press briefing that the APNU made significant inroads in the PPP-supported areas. However, Jagdeo shot down those claims with substantial evidence, whereby the numbers at the polls reflected the opposite.
In one of the areas, Plegt Anker (Berbice), where the APNU secured a five-vote win, five tendered ballots were issued to persons who voted for the PPP. However, the PPP got the higher PR votes.
“They are saying to people in this country that they won these elections and they made great inroads…One of the claims at the press conference is that the APNU made inroads, for example in Plegt Anker, which is a PPP stronghold… This is a lie. They didn’t make major inroads into Plegt Anker. In fact, we flipped one of their constituencies,” Jagdeo said.
He added, “We don’t know how GECOM will deal with that matter, because it is not an error in the voting process. If GECOM accepts this, the Plegt/Anker constituency will be tied. What they didn’t tell you is that in the same LAA, they won Kortberaadt East that time and we now won that constituency in the same LAA. And in the PR votes, they got 21 and we got 39.”
The reality, according to the General Secretary, showed the PPP making inroads in APNU-supported communities. In areas such as Region Five, where APNU claimed a ‘whitewash’, Jagdeo also shot those down with figures from the polls. In Number Five village, a stronghold of APNU, the PPP had two votes in 2018. But this number increased to 206 votes.
Overall, the PPP scored a landslide victory this LGE, after it swept 66 of the 80 Local Authority Areas across the country. In comparison, the APNU only scraped 14 LAAs.
Meanwhile, the PPP/C has won the majority of votes in seven of the country’s 10 townships. These are Mabaruma, Mahdia, Lethem, Corriverton, Rose Hall, Bartica and Anna Regina; while APNU managed to regain the majority in Georgetown, New Amsterdam and Linden – two municipalities less than the last elections.
Over in Georgetown, Jagdeo also proved that the APNU did not have an increase in votes as the Opposition Leader contended. In 2018, the APNU/AFC coalition had a combined count of 21,186 votes. APNU alone had secured 18,127 ballots in its favour. This year, APNU received 20,839 votes.
According to the General Secretary, it is not an accurate reflection, since the parties were together in Government. In reality, he noted, there was a drop of over 300 votes.
“Their votes in the city actually declined. It did not increase by 2,712, as everyone is portraying now and the headlines scream that APNU increased their votes. They did not increase their votes because this was a party that was together in Government. When combined, they have lost votes in the city. There was no increase,” he reasoned.
This year, the voter turnout in Georgetown increased by five percent.
In Georgetown, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), the PPP won five of the 15 constituencies, up from three in 2018. In 2018, the PPP had secured 6,813 votes, but at this year’s polls, ballots in their favour almost doubled at 12,256 votes. The Party’s support base increased in areas such as Kingston, Sophia, Albuoystown, Tucville, East Ruimveldt and West Ruimveldt.
The ruling PPP/C has asked for recounts in four constituencies across the country, while the A Partnership for National Unity made a request for Constituency #4 (Lamaha Gardens, Newtown Campbellville, Section K Campbellville & Bel Air Park) in Georgetown, and Mahdia.
The PPP/C’s four requests are for Constituency Six (Cummings Lodge/Turkeyen) in the Georgetown municipality; Plegt Anker/Kortberaadt in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); La Retraite on the West Bank of Demerara; and in the Mahaica/Abary constituency.
Speaking on the recount request, Jagdeo posited that the party is open to every party having a recount should need be, since it is not only about winning, but fairness.