Jagdeo condemns racist rhetoric by PPP supporters
Bharrat Jagdeo, at his weekly press conference
Leader of the political Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, has expressed condemnation for supporters of the People’s Progressive Party Civic who tend to express racist sentiments in the name of the party.
He made this declaration at a press conference, yesterday, at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.
Commenting on the release by the Ministry of the Presidency, concerning the fake Facebook page titled ‘Brigadier David Granger’, Jagdeo said that Gail Teixeira has written the Ethnic Relations Commission to have a complete investigation into what took place in Bartica, because the PPP/C does not tolerate racism or the use of social media for other nefarious purposes.
He said “We condemn any attempt to bequeath people.”
Jagdeo said that he has noticed persons making inflammatory remarks, especially on social media, some of those persons claiming to support or be affiliated with the PPP/C.
He explained: “Any post that does that sort of thing to cause division among our people would not be tolerated. I wanted to use this opportunity to say that because I’ve seen some people get angry. Then they engage in language that the party does not sanction. They are not members, but they claim to be supporters of the party.”
Pleading with supporters, he said, “If you are supporting our party, please stay away from that. That has no place in our country or in our party.”
The leader of the Opposition admitted that his party has been passive to racist sentiments by party supporters. “Too often, we just take these things sitting down and we don’t take firm action on this.”
He continued, “I want to say particularly to supporters of the PPP that we must respect. We have enough information, and a track record to defend our policies and to speak to all Guyanese about our vision, rather than to resort to nasty language, racism, or anything of that sort. We will openly condemn it.”
However, he expressed discontentment with the manner in which the Ministry of the Presidency responded to the Facebook page. Speaking on the matter of freedom of speech, he said, “I am not in favour of heavy-handed Government members going after people for expressing their views.”
This comes after the Ministry of the Presidency released a statement on Wednesday, that it “rejects the malicious and wicked publishing of false articles” relating to the President, in an alleged campaign to defame his character, as well as that of his administration.
A Facebook page titled ‘Brigadier David Granger’ reported that the President intervened in a matter involving a young woman and Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall.
The Ministry of the Presidency declared that the publications from that page are fictitious and do not reflect the President or his administration.
I can see that I would be a lousy lawyer, even with "respectfully submit" in court. As Judge Yuji doesn't buy my argument, I am withdrawing the matter regarding blackman & cake shop. Your Honour, I humbly & sincerely apologize for wasting your time, angering you, and most importantly causing you to assert "I am not a member of the PPP nor do I represent the PPP."
