ERC called on to investigate APNU-aligned entity’s ‘racist messages’ on E-Day

Acall was issued to the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) by General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo, to investigate the “racist” messaging employed by the APNU+AFC Coalition-aligned entity, Village Voice, on Election Day, Monday (June 12, 2023).

At a news conference on Tuesday (June 13, 2023), he said, “On the day of the election itself, we saw some of the vilest campaign waged by arms of the APNU, the Village Voice. Village Voice was there posting all day long, vote for Crum Ewing, subliminal racist messages, etc.

“…all day long the Village Voice, which we know is an arm of the APNU, was putting out these racist messages. Throughout the day if you go back, they may rush to remove them now, but we already have them recorded. Tons of messages, all racist throughout the day. Racists trying to drive fear into people.

“Then they had a lot of the same social media activ- ists that we've come to know who spread rumours. Some of them have emerged out of the woodwork and allday long start spreading the rumours again. In the City, especially to people in the City, targeting them, saying, ‘Oh, the PPP will remove the vendors; the vendors need to come out now’; ‘the PPP plans to take away your property’…lies all day long.

“This is clearly associated with APNU, and I hope that the ERC will investigate this because if they don't, then they will be not fulfilling their mandate.”

According to him, Guyanese, for the most part, thankfully rejected the race-baiting of the PNCRled APNU. “They were targeting people with racist messages throughout the day. And you know what? In spite of all of that, they failed miserably, really, to stop the red wave because the wave was real. You saw evidence of the red wave across the country. They've failed to stop it. No matter what they say. Tonight, they're licking their wounds and hiding. Hiding, basical- ly, and shamelessly going to claim victory. I can't imagine for anything in the world, how you would claim victory when you're barely holding off another party in your stronghold.

“And our Party (the PPP) has made so much inroads terms of voters, who voted for you traditionally and who have defied the campaign of intimidation and racism to vote in a manner that that is national..”

Notably, political parties, independent groups, and individuals that contested the much-anticipated elections signed the Ethnic Relations Commission’s Code of Conduct on May 27, 2023 at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC). Executive Secretary of the PPP, Zulfikar Mustapha;, Shazam Ally of The Citizen Initiative; and Mark France of Guyana United, among other party representatives signed the code.

APNU, however, boycotted the signing of the Code of Conduct.

This signing was seen as integral to ensuring that contestants promote ethnic harmony and abstain from hate speech before, during, and after the elections, in an attempt to preserve the harmonious relationship which exists between the Guyanese people.

ERC’S Chairman, Shaikh Moeenul Hack described it as significant while noting that this is the first time the Commission will be initiating this for the Local Government Elections. “We at the ERC believe that a Code of Conduct, in the context for which we are gathered here today as the case in 2020, is crucial to and helps to advance the best interest of our country and our people. As a Commission, we firmly believe that as a constitutional body birthed out of political discord and one that is entrusted with the promotion of harmony and good relations, among other responsibilities, such an endeavour as this signing, becomes absolutely necessary,” he had said. Hack had also called for responsible approaches to ensure that the period for campaigning is free of ethnic division, discrimination, hate speech, incitement, and provocation while reminding that achieving harmony takes a collective approach with the involvement of those who hold and who aspire to hold public offices.

Under Article 212D of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, the ERC has 24 functions – one of which is a mandate to investigate complaints from citizens across the country where acts of alleged ethnic discrimination have been committed. Also, the Commission is mandated to enforce the Racial Hostility Act and the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act.

Thescheming, spins and manipulations of Aubrey Norton, the head of the PNCR, Chairman of the APNU, and leader of the Parliamentary Opposition, have been shown to be ineffectual in the days following the 2023 Local Government Elections. The Guyanese people can no longer be persuaded that party loyalty based on race and ethnicity is the way to their prosperity by deliberate acts of ignorance in the face of reality.

In what can be described as an ‘overwhelming victory and a massive gain’ at the Local Government Elections, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) secure wins in 66 of the 80 Local Authority Areas, which include 610 constituencies. Overall, the PPP/C secured the popular vote among Guyanese voters. This means that APNU has only earned majority seats in merely 14 of the 80 Local Authority Areas, a decrease from 23 Local Authority Areas in the previously held LGEs. Notably, the PPP/C increased its wins from 52 Local Authority Areas at the 2018 Local Government Elections to 66 in 2023.

Further looking at the results, it is clear to Guyanese that the PPP/C made significant inroads in areas that were strongholds of support of the PNCR-led Coalition, including Georgetown, where the PPP/C picked up additional seats at the City Council, moving from five to 11 seats, while the APNU failed to maintain its hold on the Council. Meanwhile, in areas like New Amsterdam and Linden, the PPP/C was successful in increasing its votes, compared to the 2018 Local Government Elections. In two towns, Bartica and Mahdia, PPP/C and the APNU have reached a tie in terms of seats on the councils. However, the PPP/C has secured the majority of the popular votes and will consequently claim the Mayorship of these towns.

The PPP/C also managed to flip the Hague/Blankenburg NDC, under which Den Amstel, a PNCR stronghold falls. This means the PPP has won five seats on the council while the APNU has won four seats. The APNU’s attempt to hide behind the ‘Hague/Blankenburg Development Association’ was transparent, making Norton’s claim that the “APNU-supported groups increased their seats” a fallacy.

In Norton’s own village, the PPP/C secured a victory. According to results by GECOM, the Industry/Plaisance NDC, another APNU stronghold, the PPP/C managed to secure 1,775 votes while the APNU received 1,746 votes. This means the PPP has won five seats on the council while the APNU has won four seats.

These are the facts and Mr. Norton’s scheming, spins and manipulations cannot erase the fact of his massive electoral failure.

The PPP/C electoral successes come in the face of a campaign by APNU that was based on fear mongering, race baiting and appeals that has no basis in the APNU’s track record or ability to deliver and respond to the interests of Guyanese. The 2023 Local Government Elections also send a signal that more Guyanese are premising their support on issues, track record and a political party’s ability to deliver on the promises it made.

Facts about track record – whether or not the political party in power delivered on their promises made in its manifesto – matter. Facts about performance – how well the political party served the Guyanese people – matter. Facts related to whether the Guyanese people can trust the political party in power matters. On all three of these counts the APNU+AFC Coalition has proven that it is complete and abysmal failure. On its track record, the Coalition, almost all the promises made in its 2015 manifesto have been broken. On performance, the reality of average Guyanese make it clear that the ‘good life’ promised by the APNU+AFC Coalition was nothing, but a ‘good lie’. In contrast, since August 2, 2020, the principles of: governing for the people; transparency and accountability; and respect for the rule of law have been returned to its rightful place. It is only successive People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) governments that Guyanese have seen these principles being the order of the day. And it is only the incumbent PPP/C Administration that can continue to advance the transformational developmental agenda that benefits all of our people – regardless of class, religion, ethnicity or any other differentiating factor.

As a people, we have sent a clear signal that our collective progress and prosperity is endangered if we allow historical divisions to persist in our society today and that we are, indeed, stronger together as we work together to build ‘One Guyana’.