PPP/C Members of Parliament (MPs) Juan Edghill and Nigel Dharamlall and supporters yesterday disrupted President David Granger’s address at a Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) luncheon at the Pegasus Hotel.
Granger had just concluded the salutations of his prepared address and then made reference to the quietude of the inside of the Savannah Suite of the Pegasus Hotel as compared to the protests that greeted him outside of the hotel, when the disruption began.
“We survived a bit of hooliganism,” the president said to the chuckles from attendees.
But from nearby, Edghill’s boisterous retort seemed to shock attendees. “Not hooliganism. You are illegal. You are an illegal president!” he screamed. “People’s power, no dictator!” others chanted.
Unfazed, Granger said, “Apparently the hooliganism has migrated from outside to inside. I had this experience a few years ago in the National Assembly and had described that as vulgarianism.”
His reference seemed to trigger the PPP/C supporters as they then pulled out folded placards and in unison began chants that the government was illegal and Granger was an illegal president.
Granger continued for about three minutes but the shouting drowned out his address and he was stopped by Chairperson of the event and GMSA Executive Ramesh Dookhoo.
The president showed no sign of being perturbed and for a while he crossed his legs while holding the podium, focusing stoically in front of him.
For about five minutes the commotion would continue until the protestors were chided by Dookhoo, who asked that they respect the organisation and its guests. “Please show some respect to the GMSA and keep it down. Could you allow the President to finish his speech?” he asked. `
But the protestors would not heed and it was not until ‘A’ Division Commander Marlon Chapman and other senior police officers came into the room and to their table that the clamour was quelled as the group opted to leave the event.
However, on first seeing the police walk in, Edghill began shouting that “the police is bullying people in Guyana.”
The police approached and tried reasoning with those present at the table. From this newspaper’s vantage point, it could not be heard what the police said but the group collected their belongings and left, all while still shouting that government was illegal.
During that time, Granger went over to his aide-de-camp Francis Abraham and chatted until the protestors left. He then returned to deliver his address. He made no further reference to the ruckus for the duration of the address.