The AFC on Wednesday met with Organisation of American States (OAS) Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin and apprised him of the recent ‘cuss down’ of the opposition by President Bharrat Jagdeo at Babu John, Port Mourant, last Sunday.
Party representatives also briefed Ramdin on Jagdeo’s address at the Annual Police Officers’ Conference, when he reiterated support for the use of deadly force in fighting criminals.
The AFC told the OAS official that the so-called ‘cuss down’ at Port Mourant had “racial overtones” while Jagdeo’s address to the police conference included an “order to shoot to kill,” according to an AFC press release.
These incidents, the AFC told Ramdin and the members of his delegation who accompanied him, were “both alarming and dangerous precursors for unrest in an elections year.” The party also explained that such language used in an election year was viewed as inciting and outright racist.
The AFC was represented by Khemraj Ramjattan, Presidential Candidate; Raphael Trotman, Party Leader; Latchmin Punalall, Member of Parliament; and Salaudeen Nausrudeen, Campaign Director.
The AFC delegation highlighted what they saw as “the alarming trend that the PPP administration is pursuing as the 2011 General Elections near.”
“Mr. Jagdeo reminded his PPP supporters (at Port Mourant) that the older Guyanese must teach the younger ones about their past, [and it] is an absolute racist comment,” the release quoted Punalall as saying.
The AFC also took the opportunity to remind the visiting OAS officials about “the media blackout that the AFC has been experiencing and the unwillingness of the PPP administration to ensure that the media space is fair and open,” the release noted. Specifically, the release said, the AFC brought to the attention of the OAS officials the “untenable situation concerning its paid advertisements that are being refused by the state media; non-coverage of its press events; the blockage of a private television station in Linden; and the monopoly of the radio waves.”
Asked whether the AFC would like to see the Media Monitoring Unit (MMU) established for the upcoming elections, the opposition party agreed, saying, “The MMU is critical to the election period and would help to strengthen democratic values.”
In addition, the OAS was keen on the issue of the funding that was never received for AFC scrutineers “after the PPP and PNC wrangled it away.” The OAS noted AFC’s position and pledged to ensure it does not reoccur, the release added.
Meanwhile, the OAS will be sending an observer mission for the 2011 General Elections but the AFC expressed its interest in seeing other credible international and regional organisations being present at the elections.
The OAS officials were given copies of the AFC Action Plan to Change Guyana and were apprised of the readiness of the AFC for the 2011 Elections, the release added.
