APNU+AFC supporters were on Thursday night urged to maintain the peace on elections day as the governing coalition aims to deliver free, fair and credible elections and secure an overwhelming victory.
“We have to be serious about this elections. On elections day there should be no drinking and no smoking. It is a day of commitment, a day of recommitment, a day of dedication, a day of going to the polls to vote and we come back home peacefully. Do not disturb the peace,” Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo told supporters at Cummings Lodge. He urged them to turn out in their numbers to vote on elections day on March 2nd.
Nagamootoo further told the small crowd that the coalition is aiming for these elections to be free and fair. “We want these elections to be [credible] and we will have free, fair and [credible] elections on March 2. This is my message to you tonight,” he declared. Should the APNU+AFC win this elections, it will be the third time in recent years that they will be defeating the PPP,” he said.
“We are going to win. We won before and [in] 2011 we won the majority and we pushed them into an elections. 2020 we will give them a triple [win],” he said, as he declared that PPP presidential candidate Irfaan Ali is no competition for President David Granger.
Nagamootoo’s call for peaceful elections comes weeks after Volda Lawrence, Chairwoman of the PNCR, the largest constituent of APNU, called on supporters to be ready to work the “nightshift” and be watchful during the tabulation of ballots.
Lawrence made the comments in January during a meeting at the Kitty Market Square.
“And after 6 o’ clock hit, comrades, you should already have your bath and put on your nightshift clothing. You understand what I am saying comrades? This is not a time to be caught sleeping; they must not catch us sleeping. At 6 o’ clock, you return to work at the places of polling and you will remain out there and let our staff inside know you are out there; just let them know everything is covered APNU+ AFC,” Lawrence said.
Her call was widely criticised and recently, the Guyana Elections Commission discussed her statements and its possible implications.
Meanwhile, during his address on Thursday, Nagamootoo said that under the leadership of Granger, Guyana’s image has changed positively and the country is no longer seen as an excessively corrupt state.
He noted that the past government and some public officials have had their hands in too many unclean deals and that was tarnishing the country’s image. The Prime Minister identified the establishment of the Integrity Commission as one step the government took to fix the image of the country.
“We made a steady attempt to erase official corruption and brought the Integrity Commission. It requires all members of parliament, ministers and all public servants of a certain category to declare their assets. We have a few of them in our camp who haven’t done so but we are asking them every day [to do that],” he said. “There is no harm in declaring their assets. I declare mine every year. I have no problem and they shouldn’t once it come from clean hands,” he said.
Earlier this month, Stabroek News reported that 20 former APNU+AFC Members of Parliament had not filed their declaration of assets for last year to the Integrity Commission. This included Attorney General Basil Williams.
Nagamootoo said too that much has been achieved under this government and he singled out the upgrading of the airports.
The Prime Minister said that because of the upgrade to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, new airlines are entering the Guyana market and they are currently in talks with 18 players in the aviation sector to set up operations here. He added that because of the airport upgrade, several African countries are considering using Guyana as a hub to connect flights to their countries.
In addition, Nagamootoo stressed that the Granger-led administration has upgraded the Eugene F. Correia Airport to an international standard. He added that this government has fixed infrastructure that were left abandoned by the PPP government including stellings, boats and roads.
“We are now accessible, our country is rated and this come about by good leadership,” he told the gathering as he made a case for reelection.
“You have a mission, you have to view this campaign as the mission and you have the zeal for the mission…we also have to make sure we have won the elections overwhelmingly with the attendance at the polls,” he told the crowd who responded “landslide victory.”
Nagamootoo assured the gathering that should the APNU+AFC return to government, they will be in good hands as the future leaders are qualified and competent to manage their affairs.
