Fresh from one controversy over the lifestyle of the Jagans, former President Bharrat Jagdeo last evening waded into another when he said political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing might have been killed to give life to the opposition’s ‘whisper campaign’.
He added that whether the now dead man was a patriot or criminal he did not deserve to die.
Speaking to a large crowd at the PPP/C’s rally held at the Kitty market square where President Donald Ramotar also spoke, Jagdeo said that Crum-Ewing, who was killed a few weeks ago while urging people in the Diamond area to vote the PPP out, could have been killed for the PNC to send their messages of racism.
I was thinking who benefits from this? Definitely not the PPP/C, we have had the Kaieteur News cussing us every day and nobody bothers them, we have had people done worse than walk around with a loud hailer cussing the PPP and nobody has touched them in this country,” Jagdeo said. Last week, similar remarks about Crum-Ewing had been made by President Ramotar.
Jagdeo said it sounds like a military thing since Crum-Ewing was an ex-soldier and “they want ex-soldiers and policemen to get angry with us.”
“The police need to find out urgently who did this and I am telling you if they do that you would probably be shocked to find out who killed this guy,” he said to loud cheers.
Crum-Ewing’s family has said his death was politically motivated while stating that the man was not affiliated to any party but rather was just speaking out about the ills of the society.
The former President, who received a thunderous reception as he mounted the platform, once again spoke about the PNC rigging elections in the past and Opposition Leader David Granger seeking to deny this.
According to Jagdeo, at the re-opening of Buxton’s Tipperary Hall a few years ago, Odinga Lumumba singled out a member of the PNC top brass and said “I am accusing you of child labour because when I was fourteen-years-old you made me vote 34 times.” He said that was just one of the many testimonials of what happened during the years of PNC rule at elections time. Lumumba, who was a former leading PNC member, switched to supporting the PPP over a decade ago. He was also present on the platform last evening.
Jagdeo said the issue of the rigged elections is important because Granger, who seeks to be president of the country, has denied them. This proves, according Jagdeo, that Granger lacks the decency to admit the truth, he is unrepentant about the past or he is delusional.
The former President pointed out that when the PPP raised issues about the voters list they were told that they were scared of elections but now Granger is saying that the list is flawed.
“You know why he is saying this, because he is seeing the PPP juggernaut being mobilised, he has seen us marching now. For three years we have taken their abuse and we have stayed quiet and they think we are cowardly because we have stayed quiet… For three years they have harassed our government, they have done everything to sabotage progress and we have stayed quiet. Well we shall be quiet no longer…” Jagdeo said to loud cheers.
He said the opposition has now seen the might of the PPP/C at Babu John-where earlier this month he addressed current issues for the first time since demitting office- and it sent shock waves through the PNC and now they have doubts and are now talking about the list again.
“Three elections in the past they have used the list to create violence in this country. We have to guard against this”, Jagdeo said.
He warned those present that when they vote they should remember that they are voting against people of that nature taking power because when they have power they will “be able to do anything in this country as they have done in the past with impunity.”
The former president said that opposition prime ministerial candidate Moses Nagamootoo goes on the campaign trail and says a lot of disparaging things when Granger has put a “prime minister comforter in his mouth” and while he is “sucking on this potential prime minister comforter” he has forgotten the violence of the PNC elections and their rigging.
And responding to AFC’s co-founder Raphael Trotman’s advice for him to stay out of the campaign race, Jagdeo said that he has no such intention and that he never left the PPP/C but “just been around the place.”
“He wants me to stay out of the race so that they can continue to perpetuate the lies about our history and our record. But leh me tell Trotman something that I will be part of the race, I am supporting the People’s Progressive Party, I will put every bit of strength and energy that I have in my body to make sure Ramotar remains the President of our country and Elisabeth Harper becomes the Prime Minister,” he said.
He said that inspite of all the allegations of corruption the PPP/C can stand with its head held high because it can compete on its history and record.
“You tell me the area of government and I will tell you in great detail about the changes that we have brought to that area,” he said.
He encouraged the audience to read and not to be sucked in by the negative media who always find something bad to say about the government.
“Today it is not just about jumping up at this rally, it is about our future, it is about the future that we want to build. It is about how much we are willing to give over the next 45 days to protect that future and we need all of you to give… Every single one of you must be an activist”, he declared.
