Perpetrators of hate speech must be held accountable – MP Datadin

Executive member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Tacuma Ogunseye has been described as bitter, divisive, racist and determined to hinder the country’s progress.

Member of Parliament, Sanjeev Datadin added his voice to condemn the statements made by the WPA member, joining government officials, private sector representatives, and other sections of society.

MP Datadin, was referring to the incendiary remarks made by Ogunseye during a WPA meeting held in Buxton, East Coast Demerara on March 9, noting that these remarks sought to promote hate.

He reiterated the unproven claim by opposition members that Afro-Guyanese are being oppressed under the current administration.

Further, Ogunseye appeared to encourage the use of violence to advance a political agenda, insinuating that members of the joint forces should ‘turn those guns in the right direction.’

Recognising the liberties afforded concerning free speech, MP Datadin, who is also an Attorney at Law, emphasised that there is no protection under the constitution for the promotion of hatred and racism. “It is disturbing that people take such liberties and say such things in public settings in Guyana. They are Guyanese and they are entitled to their views, but they are not entitled to divide us. They are not entitled to tell us how we should treat our fellow Guyanese, and they are not entitled to tell us that we should stand for violence against our fellow Guyanese, civilised societies don’t work that way,” he said.

MP Datadin added that any attempts to create a racial divide that conflicts with the country’s trajectory in building a ‘One Guyana’ should be condemned by all.

He also called on Guyanese to point out the perpetrators and not turn a blind eye to such divisive speech. “Anybody who has a modicum of intellect or even common sense would know that every conversation about racial and ethnic division started by madmen, ended in tragedy. There is no place for such behaviour here. We should not tolerate it. If we are going to be successful as a country, we have to resist this hate speech. We must call it out! We must charge the perpetrators, and prosecute them. It takes us as a people to stand up and say we would not tolerate that. And that is what we have to do,” the attorney stressed. Datadin said such language has no place in a democratic society.

Guyanese urged to vote...

NDC. The PPP/C secured almost 90 per cent of the votes and 13 out of 14 seats in the Whim/Bloomfield NDC. The AFC had less votes in the NDC than the number of candidates and individuals on the Nominators’ List (backers’ list) that they submitted to GECOM, proving our point that they had to compile fraudulent lists.

Voter Turnout

Jagdeo warned, however, against complacency among the voting population. “There is no place for complacency,” he said, encouraging Guyanese to ensure that they come out and vote on June 12, 203.

AFC’s

Under the former APNU+AFC Coalition Government, Local Government Elections were held twice.

Voter turnout during that period was low. At the 2016 Local Government Elections, 47.1% or 239,070 of the 507,584 persons eligible to vote cast their ballots turned up to cast their ballots. Further, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on November 16, 2018, confirmed that 36.3% or 208,534 of the 573,923 registered electors turned up to cast their ballots at the 2018 Local Government Elections.

Asked about declaration of election results of the 2023 LGE, the PPP General Sec-

← FROM BACK PAGE retary noted that the recently approved electoral reform legislation allows for less capricious behaviour from the GECOM staff, particularly the Chief Elections Officer (CEO). “Starting from registration to declaration of results, we identified and had consultations on every problem, and we have sought in the new law to plug those loopholes,” he said.

Notably GECOM has appointed April 17 as Nominations Day. Further, Friday, March 24, 2023, is the deadline for submission of symbols for the Elections. LGE is constitutionally due every two years.