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May 10, 2022

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Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo (second from right) and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton (fourth from right) in discussion at the Europe Day observance hosted by the European Union at the Georgetown Club yesterday. Also in this photo are Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd (right) and Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine (third from right) (Photo from Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo’s Facebook page)

Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo (second from right) and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton (fourth from right) in discussion at the Europe Day observance hosted by the European Union at the Georgetown Club yesterday. Also in this photo are Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd (right) and Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine (third from right) (Photo from Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo’s Facebook page)

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo and Opposition Leader, George Norton were engaged in a heated discussion last night at a Europe Day reception which was hosted by the European Union at Georgetown Club, Camp Street.

Among the issues ventilated were the 2020 General and Regional elections, the controversial Statements of Poll and corruption.

Norton challenged Jagdeo to  a public debate. Jagdeo agreed to the debate on the condition that Norton present the APNU+AFC’s Statements of Poll (SOPs).

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo and Opposition Leader, George Norton engaged in a discussion at the Georgetown Club last night.

However, Norton disagreed and said he can only present the SOPs after the debate concludes. “If you accept the observation report, I will bring the Statements of Poll,” Norton said.

Jagdeo questioned which observation report he was referring to. “Which observation report?  From the OAS (the Organization of American States), the European Union? From the Carter Center? From Caricom?” Jagdeo asked.

Without directly answering the question, Norton told Jagdeo “…whenever you are ready I am prepare to debate you in public”.

The Opposition Leader also told Jagdeo that he is in possession of SOPs which show that the APNU+AFC coalition won the 2020 elections.

APNU+AFC never presented their SOPs to the public and did their utmost to prevent the Guyana Elections Commission from releasing theirs. The only party to release its SOPs was the PPP/C and these were later found to largely match the statements of recount which were then used to declare the results of the election in the party’s favour.

Norton was accompanied at the reception by Chairman of Region Four, Daniel Seeram and the Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine.

A number of Government Ministers including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd; Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall and Minister of Public Affairs, Sonia Parag surrounded Jagdeo as the conversation between the two leaders escalated.

Other spectators included members of the Diplomatic Corps.

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Norton, Jagdeo set conditions for debate.

May 10 ,2022

Source

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo. At centre is the European Union’s Ambassador to Guyana, Fernando Ponz Canto.

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Monday night set conditions for a public debate, in a heated but respectful exchange between the two senior political figures.

Mr. Jagdeo to Mr. Norton: “If you bring your SOPs (Statements of Poll) tomorrow, make them public, the next day I’ll debate you.

Mr. Norton to Mr. Jagdeo: “If you accept the observation reports, I will debate you, once you allow the observation reports.”

The courts had ruled against the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowrnfield’s attempt to deduct 100,000 odd votes on the grounds that the observation reports had shown that that they had been invalid.

It is unclear whether the Vice President readily understood to which observation reports Mr. Norton was referring.  Mr. Jagdeo interpreted that to mean the reports by international election observer missions prompting the Opposition Leader to accuse him of “shifting the goalpost” away from Order 60 that had governed the national voted recount.

Earlier in the informal exchange, Mr. Norton queried: “Why you want to see my statements of poll?” and even indicated that those would show that tthe People’s National Congress Reform-led coalition of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) had won the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections.

Mr. Norton challenged Mr. Jagdeo to show him where the courts ruled that the coalition sought to rig the election. In that regard, the Vice President promised to extract a section of the judgement and send it to him.

The APNU+AFC has two election petition-related appeals that are yet to be decided upon finall.

After the Opposition Leader explained the meaning of observation reports in the context of Order 60 “to determine which votes were valid”, the Vice President said the Representation of the People Act states what is a recount. “You go to the law.”

During the formal speeches by Mr. Jagdeo and the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Guyana, Fernando Ponz Canto at a reception to mark Europe Day,  they referred to the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections. Referring to the role of the international community in ensuring that the accurate results were upheld, he said ,”I recall one day them coming to check our Statements of Poll that we had uploaded three or four days after the elections to check whether we had tampered with the Statements of Poll and until today, Ambassador, those Statements of Poll that would have justified Mingo’s fraudulent figures never surfaced. I fact, the real Statements of Poll were submitted to the Chief Justice by the GECOM Secretariat,” he said.

For his part,  the EU envoy said, “we will keep working to uphold democracy like we have worked together. We will continue to uphold governance, rule of law to help Guyana wherever Guyana needs us- electoral reform, governance, forest partnerships, preservation of the environment, all the many challenges.”

They included budgetary allocations to Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), one of Mr. Norton’s strongholds, and the role of the Regional Executive Officer. Reacting to concerns about the imposition of a budget for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) by the Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Jagdeo noted that the elected council advises the Regional Executive Officer. He said there are instances where the Regional Executive Officer actually hears of the real needs 0f communities in contrast to the Council..

Mr. Jagdeo said when APNU+AFC was in office from 2015 to 2020, the Region Five Council only met three times.

Django

The gov't. should not waste time dealing with an issue that has already been dealt with through the courts and the CCJ. Norton is a brayer of the same sh..t on this issue.  Don't expect the real SOPS from this old school Burnhamite. Stop wasting time and resources behind these losers. There are better things to do.

Billy Ram Balgobin

Jagdeo and Norton haggle over elections, fraud and statements of poll at EU Day Reception.

May 10, 2022

Source

Jagdeo and Norton haggle over elections, fraud and statements of poll at EU Day Reception

It was the first encounter between the two since Norton was elected as Opposition Leader. The two have been trading barbs at each other for weeks at their separate press conferences.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton got into a face-to-face exchange last evening at a reception that was hosted by the European Commission in Guyana to mark Europe Day.

It was the first encounter between the two since Norton was elected as Opposition Leader. The two have been trading barbs at each other for weeks at their separate press conferences.

On the sidelines of the reception last evening, the two started a discussion about the 2020 elections, the Statements of Poll, Corruption and allegations of fraud.

Though the exchange was civil, the Opposition Leader threw out a challenge to have a public debate with the Vice President on major issues. The Vice President said he would like to see the APNU+AFC present copies of its statements of poll from the last elections first.

He dismissed Norton’s call for a public debate as nothing more than “gaff”, but Norton said he was serious as he accused the PPP Civic of not wanting to address the elections in totality.

“You agreed to Order 60, to have (1) a recount, (2) an assessment, and then the observation to determine which votes were fraudulent and which votes were not. You never allowed it to get to that,” Mr. Norton told Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Although the Opposition leader reminded the Vice President that he committed to Order 60, the Vice President reminded Mr. Norton of the Representative of People’s Act which guided the recount process.

Mr. Jagdeo also said the reports of the international community on all of the happenings at the last elections cannot be dismissed.

He said if Norton is serious about wanting to engage him in a public debate then he should provide the statements of poll that the APNU+AFC claims showed that it won the elections.

Since taking office, President Irfaan Ali who is currently out of the country, has not met with the Opposition.  Just over two weeks ago, he indicated that he would be soon extending an invitation to the Opposition Leader to begin consultations on a number of constitutional matters and appointments that require the involvement of the Opposition Leader.

Norton believes the meetings should be more broad-based and should also cover other issues.

Django

The gov't. should not waste time dealing with an issue that has already been dealt with through the courts and the CCJ. Norton is a brayer of the same sh..t on this issue.  Don't expect the real SOPS from this old school Burnhamite. Stop wasting time and resources behind these losers. There are better things to do.

On the sidelines of the reception last evening, the two started a discussion about the 2020 elections, the Statements of Poll, Corruption and allegations of fraud.

The two leaders was having a discussion. Well for you only Jagdeo and PPP  have the rights to govern Guyana.

Django
Last edited by Django
@Django posted:
Norton, Jagdeo in heated exchange at EU reception

May 10, 2022

Source

Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo [second from right) and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton (fourth from right) in discussion at the Europe Day observance hosted by the European Union at the Georgetown Club yesterday. Also in this photo are Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd (right) and Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine (third from right) (Photo from Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo’s Facebook page)

Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo (second from right) and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton (fourth from right) in discussion at the Europe Day observance hosted by the European Union at the Georgetown Club yesterday. Also in this photo are Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd (right) and Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine (third from right) (Photo from Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo’s Facebook page)

Looks like the Mayor is wearing his pajama and fast asleep at this gathering.

FM
@Mitwah posted:

Jagdeo backed down from the challenge of a public debate. Sad

@Django posted:

Jagdeo and Norton haggle over elections, fraud and statements of poll at EU Day Reception.

May 10, 2022

Source

Jagdeo and Norton haggle over elections, fraud and statements of poll at EU Day Reception

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton got into a face-to-face exchange last evening at a reception that was hosted by the European Commission in Guyana to mark Europe Day.

It was the first encounter between the two since Norton was elected as Opposition Leader. The two have been trading barbs at each other for weeks at their separate press conferences.

On the sidelines of the reception last evening, the two started a discussion about the 2020 elections, the Statements of Poll, Corruption and allegations of fraud.

Though the exchange was civil, the Opposition Leader threw out a challenge to have a public debate with the Vice President on major issues. The Vice President said he would like to see the APNU+AFC present copies of its statements of poll from the last elections first.

Present the statements of polls first --- present the statements of polls first --



That should be a very simple and easy matter for the PNC leaderto do. 

FM

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