Against criticism and a complaint to the Ethnic Relations Commission over his call on his supporters to “chase out” members of the Government from their communities after March 21, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo remains defiant and says he is is standing by his statement.
In a statement released on his official Facebook page, the former President said he stands by his statement and wants persons across the country to take his advice.
Jagdeo first made the statement on Sunday during the observances for the death anniversary of his party’s founder, Dr. Cheddi Jagan at Babu Jaan in Berbice.
Since then, one of the Government’s parliamentary representatives for the Berbice area has filed an official complaint against Jagdeo with the Ethnic Relations Commission.
In that complaint, Member of Parliament, Barbara Pilgrim said she believes that the statement by the Opposition Leader runs counter to the country’s values of Ethnic Relations and Social Cohesion.
She said the statement will only serve to create ethnic tensions and confusion in Region 6 where she resides, since it could be interpreted to mean that the government and other persons not connected to the People’s Progressive Party Civic PPP/C must not be allowed in this region.
The Member of Parliament wants the Ethnic Relations Commission apply sanctions against Mr. Jagdeo over the statement.
Unhinged by the complaint and concerns over the statement, Jagdeo in his video release said “let me make it clear that I stand by that statement. I made it clear at Babu Jaan that we are a party that does not believe in violence, we are not going to be burning people’s business, we are not going to be beating people on the streets, but the Government would become illegal after March 21 and therefore there will no longer be Ministers, so when they come to the communities, when they come to the communities…the people of Guyana should treat them as illegal, they should walk behind them and chase them out of your communities”.
In a message to the people of Berbice today, the Government’s Director of Public Information, Imran Khan, told Berbicians that they should not allow Jagdeo to carry on as if he owns them. Khan said Berbicians must be reminded that many of the hardships that they face, are as a result of policies that were put in place by Jagdeo when he served as President.
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