The PPP’s meeting in New York last Friday was hailed a success by the organizers despite what they said were efforts by “some paid detractors of the PNC and AFC to disrupt the event”.
However, the Brooklyn Chapter of the PNCR has said that as Guyanese resident in the USA, they remain very committed to Guyana and how it is being governed and “as such the PPP is put on notice that whenever they visit New York we will be there, carrying placards and expressing our disappointment against their dictatorship”.
Friday night’s meeting saw President Bharrat Jagdeo and PPP Presidential Candidate, Donald Ramotar meeting with supporters at Club Tobago in Queens, New York. The event also attracted a few dozen protesters and saw the arrest of former Office of the President staffer Dr Randy Persaud. One source had told this newspaper that Persaud had been arrested for disorderly conduct, while responding to the group of vocal placard-bearing protestors gathered outside the venue.
The statement by the meeting’s organizers, the Association of Concerned Guyanese(ACG)–USA, did not mention Persaud’s arrest and contacted last evening, Office of the President Press Officer, Kwame McCoy said that he had no information on what has happened to Persaud.
The ACG statement said that Ramotar was presented to an audience of over 600 despite the efforts by some “paid detractors of the PNC and AFC to disrupt the event.” It said that in giving his full support to Ramotar and to thunderous applause, Jagdeo declared that Ramotar will make an excellent President because he is not bigoted, and like Cheddi Jagan, he is guided by the philosophy to struggle for the rights of the people and to ensure that Guyana continues to be developed for all of the people. “He has what it takes to be in charge of the future of Guyana,” the President was quoted as saying.
Jagdeo lashed out at PNC Presidential Candidate, David Granger and said that more of his “dark past” will become apparent as the election season warms up.
According to the statement, Club Tobago erupted as Ramotar approached the podium. He committed himself to continue the progress that the PPP made over the last 19 years in government, the release said. He pledged to continue the struggle of the Party for the upliftment of all Guyanese and shared his confidence of another PPP victory at the Polls. He also spoke on the economy, comparing it now with the past.
Chairman of the ACG, Raj Singh moderated the event while those in attendance included New York City council members Leroy Comrie and Ruben Wills, Minister of Tourism Manniram Prashad and Guyana’s Consul General Brentnol Evans, the statement said.
Anti-dictatorship
forces
Meanwhile, the PNCR Brooklyn Chapter said in a press release that approximately 60 persons belonging to the Chapter, as well as AFC representatives and other “anti-dictatorship forces” held a protest in front of Club Tobago “against the PPP government continued mismanagement of the country”.
The release said that the protesters braved the cold spring evening to let Jagdeo and Ramotar know of their dissatisfactions over the mismanagement of the country and their abuse of the state’s resources. “The groups in a two-hour protest carried placards bearing messages of their concerns about the abuse of the Consolidated Fund, the growing narco-economy, escalating crimes, discrimination, poverty, torture and called for a change in government”, the release said.
It said that during the protest, police of the New York 103 Precinct arrested Dr. Randy Persaud. It said that he is a Professor at American University and worked at the Office of the President and is a Chronicle columnist and Propaganda Czar of the PPP. According to the release, he was arrested for “disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration” and was to be arraigned on Saturday. The release said that Persaud abused the protesters.
“Guyana is a land of six peoples, with a motto of One People One Nation One Destiny and if those living in the USA can enjoy opportunities and their rights as minorities, then Guyanese at home must be able to enjoy similar rights in their homeland. The PPP has proven it is unfit to govern since over the years it has failed to govern in the interests of all and has been of great embarrassment to Guyanese, home and abroad”, the release said.
