…will not cut corners in fight for freedom in this country – Jagdeo
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has pulled out of the Guyana Border Commission in retaliation to Head of State David Granger’s unilateral appointment of Justice (rtd) James Patterson, as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Thursday.
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo made the announcement shortly after meeting with the President ahead of the appointment.
The move comes as part of the Party’s decision to embark on a process of non-cooperation on the part of the Opposition – part controlled regions included.
According to the Opposition Leader, a decision was taken this past week to take part in a special caucus of the Border Committee given a recent development.
Guyana and Venezuela have in recent years been locked in a stand-off over the Spanish speaking country’s claim over the Essequibo.
Jagdeo told reporters his Party will no longer be taking part in the talks – a direct response to the President’s unilateral appointment.
That body is scheduled to meet in the coming week to address issues related to the border controversy involving Venezuela.
As it relates to participation at the local government level, Jagdeo disclosed that this too will be withdrawn until there is a resolution to the crises.
The PPP/C won the popular vote during Local Government Elections (LGE) held in 2016, capturing 25,000 more votes than the APNU/AFC under the proportional representation (PR) component of the polls.
According to the Opposition Leader, the clandestine manner with which the President has flouted the Constitution to swear in Justice Patterson under the cover of darkness, “represents the modus operandi of this Government to do things in secrecy, in the dark and to impose decisions that are undemocratic on the people of this country.”
Jagdeo was adamant the party will begin mobilising its supporters across the country, saying “right now, this Government will not have our cooperation on any issue, any issue in this country until they start complying with our Constitution.”
The Opposition Leader when asked to elaborate on the threat to galvanise the party supporters into non-cooperation with the Government, said “it takes several forms.”
He disclosed to media operatives that, “we will be meeting with the leadership across the country; there are several NDS and municipalities and regions that we control and we will have to have them go into a mode of non-cooperation.”
The former President while not pronouncing on the Party’s participation in General Elections under Justice Patterson at the helm of GECOM, said his party was prepared to plunge the country into a constitutional crisis in order to press for its demands.
Jagdeo was adamant, “we are prepared to have the country go into a constitutional crisis, if we can’t have elections on time, we are prepared to have that happen and then you don’t have a government in place and sign contracts, the budget can’t be passed… nothing, because we are not going to cut corners on the fight for democracy or freedom in this country.”
The Opposition Leader was in fact adamant the fight should be one to engage all of the citizenry since “this country will become pariah again, pariah if we go down this route like it was in the past.”
He told media operatives that President Granger is to be held responsible for the consequences of any non-cooperation and plunging the country into a constitutional crisis.
“The President must be responsible for this, it’s not us,” he said and questioned “should I compromise on the fight for freedom in this country, not freedom for PPP people, freedom for all the people of Guyana because that is what is at stake here.”
The Opposition Leader expanded, saying “he (Granger) is responsible by taking this undemocratic decision; he will be responsible for all of its consequences”
Meanwhile, as it relates to the Party’s participation at the level of the National Assembly, Jagdeo told reporters that the PPP Executive will have to meet and decide given the important oversight role of the National Assembly.
“With the corruption in this Government and the free pass that they are getting in Parliament, we have to see if not being in the Parliament will help them (APNU/AFC) because maybe that is what they want too,” he disclosed.
Jagdeo, who also serves as General Secretary of the PPP was adamant, “there are about 40 cases of serious corruption in this Government; frankly speaking I think this is one of the reasons why they are making these decisions… we have to examine that, whether presence in Parliament will, because we not going there to cooperate with them, if exposing them in Parliament will make a difference.”
He continued by adding “I will be pushing for serious non-cooperation” when the Party’s Executives meet to formalise its agenda.
According to Jagdeo “we will be talking to our people across the country as well as the members to decide what else we will do, but right now, this Government
