People Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo stated that there is an open option for protests, and that it all depends on President David Granger.
He made this statement during a press conference yesterday, at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.
Jagdeo claimed that the PPP was protesting for President Granger to name a date, and that they will keep the protest action under review, adding, “We want to just have free, fair, early elections, respectful of the constitution”.
He further explained that if Government is moving towards an early election date, then the PPP does not see the necessity for protests. However, he said, “Protest is also a way of showing disagreement with abuse of resources and stuff. But clearly the protest that has personally targeted President Granger since the 18th September was for him to name a date.”
The opposition leader stated, “We will still keep the protest option open if we see any retreat from that or if we have to use it to prevent the abuse of resources that is going on now.”
On September 19, President Granger was challenged with a protest of at least 300 PPP supporters at the Pegasus Hotel, Kingston. The President was at the time delivering an address at a luncheon of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GSMA) held at the hotel. Later that day, Jagdeo stated at a press conference at his Church Street office that the President would face protests everywhere he goes until he named an election date.
The President did subsequently face protest action during several visits out of town, and during a recent event at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China was celebrated.
The President, even up to yesterday, faced a small picketing exercise outside of his Vlissengen Road office, from the Mass Action People’s Movement (MAPM).