APNU yesterday hosted 12 meetings throughout Region Six with residents despite not having permission from the Guyana Police Force.
Commander of Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), Calvin Brutus when contacted yesterday stated that no permission was granted for any meeting to be held within the region, whether it be public or private.
However, a senior uniformed police rank and a uniformed Neighbourhood Police Officer stationed in the Corentyne area, were noticed at the meeting held at the Kildonan Community Centre.
Residents in the area who were reluctant to speak with Stabroek News said that they were informed by local party representatives of the meeting.
Meanwhile, in Rose Hall Town, de facto Minister Keith Scott was expected to speak to those gathered for the meeting which was held at a private residence.
At that location, a uniformed rank was noticed in the yard.
Additionally, meetings were also held at the Skeldon Training Building located in the Skeldon Estate Senior Staff Compound, Number 53 Village Complex, Manchester Secondary School, Fyrish Primary School, Sandvoort Primary School, Tucberg, New Amsterdam, Glasgow Community Centre, New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School, Sisters Primary School and, Patrick Dam Angoy’s Avenue.
It was confirmed to reporters at the Skeldon location that it was a public meeting but no reporters were allowed to be present.
Meanwhile, the contact person for the meeting in Fyrish Village, Corentyne, told Stabroek News that it was a meeting to deal with “legal issues”, while the contact person for the Kildonan meeting said it was a meeting with residents to deal with “election issues”.
Darren Wade who was listed to speak at the Tucberg and Sandvoort meetings when contacted, said, that it was a “meeting with comrades”. Although without being asked, Wade clarified that it was not a “secret meeting”.
He then advised Stabroek News to seek further information from Jevaughn Stephens and Barbara Pilgrim, who were the regional contact persons for his meetings.
However, calls to their phones went unanswered.
When contacted on July 23rd, General Secretary of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Amna Ally had refused to confirm or deny that APNU+AFC would be participating in a series of public meetings.
“If the Coalition has a programme and the Coalition executes it that is not anybody else’s business. It is our business,” she said when questioned, despite the fact that any such gathering would pose public health concerns in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PNCR is the leading member of APNU+AFC.
