PM picketed by PPP/C supporters at Berbice school graduations
In Berbice for two school graduations yesterday, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo faced protests by PPP/C protesters over the unilateral selection of a Chairman for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
The PM attended graduation ceremonies at the Corentyne Comprehensive High School in Port Mourant, Corentyne and the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School.
Zamal Hussain, the party’s regional supervisor told Stabroek News, that after learning of the Prime Minister’s visit they decided to hold a picketing exercise since “...he (Nagamootoo) is in collusion with the APNU government with the unilateral appointment of the GECOM chairman”.
Hussain said, the protest is to let President David Granger and the Prime Minister know that the PPP/C will not stand by and let such a decision be accepted. “We are asking the President and the Prime Minister to rescind this decision because this decision is an unconstitutional decision”.
He also opined, that PM Nagamootoo should “speak out” against what he, Hussain, believes is a “dictatorship”.
“It is very unconstitutional and will hamper the results of the next election”, he added.
Hussain told this newspaper that henceforth every visit of the President and Prime Minister to the region will be protested.
Around 150 persons gathered at the protest which was held in front of the Corentyne school, while the second protest opposite the New Amsterdam Multilateral School saw over 100 protestors. Nagamootoo and his entourage drove past the protesters at both sites and he discharged his functions at both graduations.
One woman questioned why Granger didn’t make a selection of the GECOM Chairman from the 18 names submitted by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo. “During the night he operate and appoint the GECOM chairman”, she noted.