APNU supporters take to the streets

From Demerara Waves Angered by defeat and allegations of vote-rigging, supporters of Guyana’s main opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Thursday night thronged outside Parliament Buildings where political leaders were meeting inside. They pushed down police barriers to express disgust that the incumbent Peoples Progressive Party Civic’s (PPPC) Donald Ramotar was declared winner of Monday’s presidential elections. Riot police, armed with rifles and teargas canisters did not go into action and there were no immediate reports of anyone arrested. APNU presidential candidate, David Granger has already charged that there were massive irregularities including broken ballot box seals, inconsistent tallies on statements of poll and multiple voting in some areas of the mainly East Indian-backed PPPC Chanting “We want Granger,” “No place for Donald”, and “No school, No work,” they walked, drove and rode from their party headquarters to Parliament Building in the commercial heart of Georgetown. At the end of the meeting Granger went out to meet the crowd and led themdown Brickdam to the Square of the Revolution by which time hundreds had gathered. After some delay in which they sought to secure a public address system he finally addressed the crowd telling them that the party knows their interests and will represent them. "We have asked for an all-party verification of the statements of poll,"he said noting  that between the opposition parties now control the parliament. The PPPC won 32 seats in the 65-seat National Assembly with 48.6 percent; APNU with 26 seats and 40.8 percent and the Alliance of Change (AFC) got seven seats with 10.3 percent. The United Force did not get any seats in the 65 seat National Assembly. Granger urged  them to stay calm and then suggested that they meet back at the Square at 5 PM tomorrow but the crowd responded "we aint waan hear duh." After several attempts to appease the crowd it was finally agreed that they would meet back at the Square at 10 AM Friday. Speaking to reporters afterwards he again called for supporters not to be disorderly.  "We have advised our supporters that there must be no disorder no lawlessness we have to find a solution to this crisis ... there's a security crisis, there's a political crisis in this country," he stated.                   Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB) observers examine broken ballot box seals that were found at the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School on Tuesday. Centre is APNU's Mervyn Williams. Chief Election Officer, Gocool Boodoo pegged voter turnout from among the 475,000 eligible voters at 72.9 percent. President-elect Donald Ramotar has already signaled that he would shortly appoint a cabinet and expressed regret that his party did not secure a working majority in the assembly. “I would have liked to have a majority in the parliament but the electorate has spoken and we have to work with what we have,” he said. Television talk-show host, Christopher Ram, laying the blame for the minority government at the feet of outgoing president, Bharrat Jagdeo, said the country was on the cusp of positive development through legislative, constitutional and fiscal management and accountability. “I think Guyana is in for five of its most glorious years. It’s important that the APNU and AFC do not get carried away and say let’s bring down the government,” said Ram an accountant and practicing lawyer. With a minority government, the Ramotar led-administration would have to first win bipartisan support before laws can be amended and the budget passed. AFC Executive Member,  Nigel Hughes said the outcome of Monday’s polls signaled the need for Guyana’s constitution to be overhauled or changed because the results now mean that a significant segment of the population would be left out of cabinet and the government. At the same time, he said the AFC welcomed the outcome of the polls, saying that for the first time it gives the opposition an opportunity to check the excesses of the government. “We are happy that no single party has a majority in parliament and that we would be able to exercise some restraint but I must temper that by saying that the present winner-take-all system will not address the concerns of the people,” said Hughes, a well-respected lawyer.