The events of Nomination Day on Tuesday April 07, were marred by “civil disorder” by A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) supporters and led to a number of businesses closing their doors and sending staff home
This is according to Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon who said that the supporters of the coalition behaved, “unruly” as is the norm every nomination day.
He claimed this led to the closure of businesses in the city since many from the private sector were afraid. “Businessmen have resorted to what is becoming a very familiar course of action; they lock for the day and secure their premises.”
This Dr. Luncheon noted was cabinet’s review of the nominations day activities.
“Cabinet equally noted elements of unruly behavior of and during the APNU+AFC proceedings and recalled that this is fasting becoming a feature of supporters and those who are attracted to events where they APNU+AFC gather and make their lengthy passages through the streets and thoroughfares of Guyana.”
The Government spokesman then boasted of the PPP/C’s procession which was done in an, ‘orderly’ and smooth manner with a much smaller crowd than that of the opposition coalition.
Meanwhile, Dr. Luncheon called the APNU+AFC’s submitted lists of candidates to GECOMon nominations day, significantly ‘flawed’.
He believes that the APNU+AFC lists significantly lacks diversity, “unlike the PPP’s lists which addressed the diversity which exists in Guyana, “male, females, different ethnic group, different races, ages, classes, religions, all were represented in appropriate numbers on the list.”
He noted that the lack in diversity for the opposition lists is more specific to religions and gender and is inconsistent with electoral laws and has since called for corrections to be made to the opposition’s lists before it is gazetted and becomes official.
“It would be up to GECOM to rule competently as the law provides on this matter and of course to provide the representative of the lists with an opportunity to make corrections prior to the submission to the lists as an official representation of this political alliance.”