Soca star Destra Garcia is being denounced by opponents of Guyana’s ruling political party for her scheduled performance at a campaign rally for the PPP/C two days before Monday’s election.
“You are being used as pawn in an attempt to distract your fellow West Indians at a very serious and critical time in their country’s history,” wrote Michael A Leonard on Garcia’s Facebook page.
His is one of many angry and disappointed comments flooding the page since the announcement that Garcia would be one of the performers at the PPP/C’s Unity Concert and Rally Saturday at the Guyana National Stadium.
According to information on Leonard’s page he lives in Georgetown, Guyana, but no other facts about him are visible to the public.
The November 28 election is expected to be close in a nation riven by racial conflicts, with a large portion of the electorate distrustful of the PPP/C or People’s Progressive Party/Civic and its controversial leader President Bharrat Jagdeo, whom they accuse of ruling with a heavy hand, exacerbating racial divisions and worse.
“Please, Destra, do reconsider your commitment to these people,” wrote Gerhard Ramsaroop, in comment structured like a formal letter and which began “Dear Destra”. Ramsaroop, who said he’s a fan of Garcia, has 1,371 friends and, according to his “info” section, also lives in Georgetown.
“As you can see your image and name are being used on a poster saying ‘Vote PPP’,” he wrote. “I am therefore pleading with you not to let yourself be used in this manner.”
Like many of the others posting their objection, Ramsaroop accused the PPP/C of engaging in corruption and criminal activity.
“Please, refuse the offer to be bought by this corrupt PPP regime,” wrote Michael Anthony Benchop, also calling himself a fan of Garcia. It could not be confirmed if this was the Michael Benchop who is one of the most vocal critics of the government and who believes that he spent five years in jail as part of a set up by the administration, which has been in office for more than a decade.
Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba, president of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation, said he doesn’t condemn an artist’s decision to perform at a political event.
“Artists supposed to be big enough to make their own choices in terms of where they perform,” he said.
But Masimba, who said he wouldn’t perform at a political event, had this warning: “If it looks like you endorse one party, then the supporters of other parties will come out against you. You have to take that into consideration when you’re going to perform on a political platform.”
They were in the minority, but some of those posting on Destra’s wall supported her decision.
One of them was John Navindra Williams, who posted comments on his page critical of the Alliance for Change, one of the parties challenging the PPP/C.
“Destra gon mash up de place ….? from GT….down wid de haters,” he wrote.
“You are being used as pawn in an attempt to distract your fellow West Indians at a very serious and critical time in their country’s history,” wrote Michael A Leonard on Garcia’s Facebook page.
His is one of many angry and disappointed comments flooding the page since the announcement that Garcia would be one of the performers at the PPP/C’s Unity Concert and Rally Saturday at the Guyana National Stadium.
According to information on Leonard’s page he lives in Georgetown, Guyana, but no other facts about him are visible to the public.
The November 28 election is expected to be close in a nation riven by racial conflicts, with a large portion of the electorate distrustful of the PPP/C or People’s Progressive Party/Civic and its controversial leader President Bharrat Jagdeo, whom they accuse of ruling with a heavy hand, exacerbating racial divisions and worse.
“Please, Destra, do reconsider your commitment to these people,” wrote Gerhard Ramsaroop, in comment structured like a formal letter and which began “Dear Destra”. Ramsaroop, who said he’s a fan of Garcia, has 1,371 friends and, according to his “info” section, also lives in Georgetown.
“As you can see your image and name are being used on a poster saying ‘Vote PPP’,” he wrote. “I am therefore pleading with you not to let yourself be used in this manner.”
Like many of the others posting their objection, Ramsaroop accused the PPP/C of engaging in corruption and criminal activity.
“Please, refuse the offer to be bought by this corrupt PPP regime,” wrote Michael Anthony Benchop, also calling himself a fan of Garcia. It could not be confirmed if this was the Michael Benchop who is one of the most vocal critics of the government and who believes that he spent five years in jail as part of a set up by the administration, which has been in office for more than a decade.
Lutalo “Brother Resistance” Masimba, president of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation, said he doesn’t condemn an artist’s decision to perform at a political event.
“Artists supposed to be big enough to make their own choices in terms of where they perform,” he said.
But Masimba, who said he wouldn’t perform at a political event, had this warning: “If it looks like you endorse one party, then the supporters of other parties will come out against you. You have to take that into consideration when you’re going to perform on a political platform.”
They were in the minority, but some of those posting on Destra’s wall supported her decision.
One of them was John Navindra Williams, who posted comments on his page critical of the Alliance for Change, one of the parties challenging the PPP/C.
“Destra gon mash up de place ….? from GT….down wid de haters,” he wrote.
