The two major political contestants will kick their campaign into high gear on Sunday with the PPP holding its first major rally in the city and the APNU+AFC alliance heading to Whim, Berbice.
In what is shaping up to be a close race in the May 11 general and regional elections, the rallies at Kitty and Whim will give an indication of the crowds the two parties can pull in areas which are not their traditional strongholds. The two parties and their supporters have been active in the news and social media as well as holding meetings on street-corners as both seek to put forth their programmes and win supporters.
The two parties have not published their manifestos as yet but are active on social media with the PPP in recent days pushing its #livingthechange and #embraceprogress campaign on Facebook utilizing images of projects it has undertaken while in government while the APNU+AFC alliance pushes ahead with their #ItIsTime and #MoveForward campaign on the social media platform.
The PPP’s rally comes against the backdrop of a raging controversy involving former president Bharrat Jagdeo who implied that the party’s founder Dr Cheddi Jagan lived in luxury comparable to his own lifestyle. On Monday, two weeks after Jagdeo made the statement, party General Secretary Clement Rohee finally stated that the former president’s remarks do not reflect the official position of the party. Rohee initially did not defend the Jagans when questioned on the matter and his statement on Monday underscored division in the party over the Jagdeo remarks.
In the intervening period, Jagdeo’s assertion attracted criticism from supporters of both Cheddi and Janet Jagan, including their children, as well as former party stalwart Ralph Ramkarran. Jagdeo has faced scrutiny and criticism over his inability to account for his personal wealth after his two terms in office.
Jagdeo, at a press conference at Freedom House, had said, “I don’t believe ministers should have to live in a logie to prove that they are not corrupt… Cheddi Jagan didn’t have to prove that by living in a logie.”
This was his reply when asked if he believed that his posh home at ‘Pradoville 2’ and the rapid accumulation of wealth by ministers would be within the late president’s ideals.
“I don’t think Cheddi Jagan, living in Bel Air Park at that time, in a nice house, was typical of Guyana. But Cheddi Jagan lived at that time there. Did that weaken his commitment to the cause? No. At that time that was a prime area. It was a big piece of land, nice house and it still is a nice house,” Jagdeo said.
Following the comments by the former president, Ramkarran said that it was a “sin” for Jagdeo to use the name of the late President Jagan to “justify his mansion, his pension and his Cadillac lifestyle.”
“The impression given by Dr Jagdeo that Cheddi Jagan built a mansion, at the time comparable to his own, in an existing exclusive area is completely false and disingenuous,” Ramkarran said.
The Jagans’ daughter Nadira Jagan-Brancier had said too that Jagdeo’s comments were untrue. “I am extremely disappointed that Bharrat Jagdeo would try to compare his lifestyle to that of my parents, former presidents Dr Cheddi Jagan and Mrs Janet Jagan, and defend his opulent lifestyle by pathetically claiming that my parents also lived in a large house in an affluent community. Nothing could be further from the truth,” she had said.
Meantime, the APNU+AFC rally at Whim will give an indication of the alliance’s support in Berbice- a PPP stronghold. In the 2011 elections, the AFC managed to pull a significant number of votes away from the PPP in Berbice which resulted in the combined opposition gaining a majority in the National Assembly and relegating President Donald Ramotar to a minority government. It will be a key test of whether the opposition alliance’s prime ministerial candidate Moses Nagamootoo can attract a substantial crowd in his home village following the AFC’s link-up with APNU. PPP supporters have characterized Nagamootoo’s participation in the alliance as a betrayal and have been arguing strongly that the alliance is essentially the PNC of old notwithstanding the fact that the AFC will be guaranteed 12 seats in Parliament.
The May 11 elections are two years early as with the three sides failing to see eye-to-eye, gridlock in the National Assembly ensued, and facing a no-confidence motion, Ramotar suspended Parliament then called elections.
Votes from Berbice would be critical if the joint opposition is to keep its gains and the rallies come as the campaigns kick into high gear and with expectations that the parties would unveil their programmes for the country should they win the May 11 elections.
