APNU’s protest continues
December 3, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment
-supporters in New Amsterdam picket
By Tiffny Rhodius and Michael Itwaru
Disgruntled supporters of the A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) continued their demonstrations against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) demanding verification of several statements of poll and other issues relating to the conduct of Monday’s elections.
David Granger leads his supporters in the peace march to GECOM from the Square of the Revolution
On Friday, party supporters in New Amsterdam picketed the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) office, Region Six in a bid to pressure GECOM to reconcile statements of polls.
The APNU Presidential Candidate David Granger on Friday told his supporters assembled at the Square of the Revolution around 10:00h that “We are going to walk in an orderly and disciplined manner,” to GECOM.
Granger reiterated his call for a verification of the statement of polls, adding, “We do not feel that it takes three days to count 400,000 votes.” Before the march got under way, Granger promised his supporters that the APNU is committed to ensuring that the people get good leadership, governance and a better life.
“Today, we ask you to stay organised, stay mobilised, we’re not giving up, we are not going to roll over and say well the battle is over, because the struggle continues,” said Granger.
The morning heat and cluster of persons caused one supporter to faint, prompting Granger to stop his speech and asked if a medical personnel was in the gathering.
During his address, Granger promised the people that the APNU will make representations on their behalf now that the opposition holds the majority in parliament.
Police keep the demonstrators at bay
Among the things that the APNU plans to clamour for include reduction of the cost of living, increase in salaries for civil servants, better water, better roads, and a cleaner and safer city.
After addressing the gathering, Granger led them in a peace march west along Vlissengen Road and east into Lamaha Street. As the demonstrators made their way to GECOM, riot police had already cordoned off Main and Lamaha Streets. GECOM is located at Cowan Street, Kingston.
When the procession arrived, they gathered at the barricades. Some chanted “Granger” while others milled about. Minutes later, the demonstrators sat on the road. Not much was said and no one engaged the police, although a few persons were heard hurling abusive words at the police.
The supporters spent about 15 minutes at the location and were made to march back to Square of the Revolution where they were again addressed by Granger. “I’m proud of your discipline. Today you’ve shown them how disciplined you are,” a satisfied Granger said.
He promised supporters that “We are going to keep up this struggle” until half of the population of Guyana have their voices heard and their votes counted.
Police on duty
Picketing in New Amsterdam
Meanwhile, in Berbice around 13:30h, the APNU’s New Amsterdam office was a hub of activities with supporters singing spiritual songs as they prepared placards. Around 14:00h, some 30 supporters had driven to the RDC and stood silently outside holding up placards, and after about 20 minutes, they halted the exercise and proceeded to the GECOM office at Princess Elizabeth Road, New Amsterdam. At that location, the group increased to nearly 50 persons.
At this location, the police had already set up road blocks and were in place as the supporters arrived and took up positions along the roadside facing GECOM’s office. The police presence quickly built up but the supporters remained silent and peaceful holding up their placards on which were slogans calling for “poll by poll verification’.
The demonstration which started at 14:45h, ended at 16:00h. The party’s Region Six campaign manager, Dr John Austin who led the supporters affirmed that the ANPU’s head office in Georgetown had
APNU supporters demonstrating outside GECOM’s New Amsterdam office on Friday
communicated to them that the coalition won Mondays’ elections outright, and as such, the party is demanding that GECOM conducts a recheck of the statements of poll.
Supporters sitting on the road at GECOM during the protest
According to Dr Austin, who has been barred by the Guyana Medical Council from practicing, the party combed the SOPs and found some irregularities. “We are protesting the fact that a large number of votes were not accounted for in South Georgetown and this is an ANPU support area…” Dr Austin alleged that a large number of the votes from the South Georgetown area were not included in the votes declared by GECOM on Thursday.
In my opinion APNU and their supporters are being a complete jackass here. Given our historic pattern of ethnic cleavage, which sane person in their right mind would expect a better result for these discredited bunch? They should forever be grateful and thankful to the AFC for being the straw that broke the camel's back. If they continue with this nonsense, they risk forcing the PPP into a corner with no alternative but an attitude of defiance and non cooperation with the JOPP. Should this happen and Government fall prematurely, the biggest winner would be the PPP/C in any snap election because the soft support AFC gained from PPP constituenies in these elections would be spooked right back to their base, just as what happened with the AFC supports that was poached from PNC in 2006 that went straight back to APNU here.
December 3, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment
-supporters in New Amsterdam picket
By Tiffny Rhodius and Michael Itwaru
Disgruntled supporters of the A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) continued their demonstrations against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) demanding verification of several statements of poll and other issues relating to the conduct of Monday’s elections.
David Granger leads his supporters in the peace march to GECOM from the Square of the Revolution
On Friday, party supporters in New Amsterdam picketed the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) office, Region Six in a bid to pressure GECOM to reconcile statements of polls.
The APNU Presidential Candidate David Granger on Friday told his supporters assembled at the Square of the Revolution around 10:00h that “We are going to walk in an orderly and disciplined manner,” to GECOM.
Granger reiterated his call for a verification of the statement of polls, adding, “We do not feel that it takes three days to count 400,000 votes.” Before the march got under way, Granger promised his supporters that the APNU is committed to ensuring that the people get good leadership, governance and a better life.
“Today, we ask you to stay organised, stay mobilised, we’re not giving up, we are not going to roll over and say well the battle is over, because the struggle continues,” said Granger.
The morning heat and cluster of persons caused one supporter to faint, prompting Granger to stop his speech and asked if a medical personnel was in the gathering.
During his address, Granger promised the people that the APNU will make representations on their behalf now that the opposition holds the majority in parliament.
Police keep the demonstrators at bay
Among the things that the APNU plans to clamour for include reduction of the cost of living, increase in salaries for civil servants, better water, better roads, and a cleaner and safer city.
After addressing the gathering, Granger led them in a peace march west along Vlissengen Road and east into Lamaha Street. As the demonstrators made their way to GECOM, riot police had already cordoned off Main and Lamaha Streets. GECOM is located at Cowan Street, Kingston.
When the procession arrived, they gathered at the barricades. Some chanted “Granger” while others milled about. Minutes later, the demonstrators sat on the road. Not much was said and no one engaged the police, although a few persons were heard hurling abusive words at the police.
The supporters spent about 15 minutes at the location and were made to march back to Square of the Revolution where they were again addressed by Granger. “I’m proud of your discipline. Today you’ve shown them how disciplined you are,” a satisfied Granger said.
He promised supporters that “We are going to keep up this struggle” until half of the population of Guyana have their voices heard and their votes counted.
Police on duty
Picketing in New Amsterdam
Meanwhile, in Berbice around 13:30h, the APNU’s New Amsterdam office was a hub of activities with supporters singing spiritual songs as they prepared placards. Around 14:00h, some 30 supporters had driven to the RDC and stood silently outside holding up placards, and after about 20 minutes, they halted the exercise and proceeded to the GECOM office at Princess Elizabeth Road, New Amsterdam. At that location, the group increased to nearly 50 persons.
At this location, the police had already set up road blocks and were in place as the supporters arrived and took up positions along the roadside facing GECOM’s office. The police presence quickly built up but the supporters remained silent and peaceful holding up their placards on which were slogans calling for “poll by poll verification’.
The demonstration which started at 14:45h, ended at 16:00h. The party’s Region Six campaign manager, Dr John Austin who led the supporters affirmed that the ANPU’s head office in Georgetown had
APNU supporters demonstrating outside GECOM’s New Amsterdam office on Friday
communicated to them that the coalition won Mondays’ elections outright, and as such, the party is demanding that GECOM conducts a recheck of the statements of poll.
Supporters sitting on the road at GECOM during the protest
According to Dr Austin, who has been barred by the Guyana Medical Council from practicing, the party combed the SOPs and found some irregularities. “We are protesting the fact that a large number of votes were not accounted for in South Georgetown and this is an ANPU support area…” Dr Austin alleged that a large number of the votes from the South Georgetown area were not included in the votes declared by GECOM on Thursday.
In my opinion APNU and their supporters are being a complete jackass here. Given our historic pattern of ethnic cleavage, which sane person in their right mind would expect a better result for these discredited bunch? They should forever be grateful and thankful to the AFC for being the straw that broke the camel's back. If they continue with this nonsense, they risk forcing the PPP into a corner with no alternative but an attitude of defiance and non cooperation with the JOPP. Should this happen and Government fall prematurely, the biggest winner would be the PPP/C in any snap election because the soft support AFC gained from PPP constituenies in these elections would be spooked right back to their base, just as what happened with the AFC supports that was poached from PNC in 2006 that went straight back to APNU here.
