Dear Editor,
Mr Manzoor Nadir, former leader of The United Force (TUF) who stepped down as leader on May 29, 2011 is now trying to bully his way back into the leadership. On September 1, my staff and I were out of the building and when we came back in the afternoon the middle flat of the building was open and there were people there. We are the only persons that were in possession of keys to the building. We were told by a reliable source that Mr Nadir, the Minister of Labour in the PPP/C government, held a meeting in the building and is now claiming to be leader of our party. That meeting was unconstitutional and I did not sanction it.
I am of the opinion that because I publicly announced that I will lead our party independently into the upcoming general and regional elections, not aligned to the PPP/C, Mr Nadir is now trying to force himself back into the position he stepped down from and which is now legally occupied by me. I had also called on him to vacate the lone TUF seat in Parliament because he was not representing the party’s interests and he refused to do so.
“I will be taking back my party,” he told one executive from Linden whom he was encouraging to come to his illegal gathering. This is to ensure that what votes TUF secures will be given on a platter to the PPP/C. I, on the other hand, will take my seat in Parliament and represent the people of Guyana fairly.
This morning (September 2) when my staff and I came to our headquarters we could not get in because there was a new lock on the gate. There was also a new lock on our office door. On the advice of my lawyers we broke the locks, put a new lock on the gate, and came in and locked ourselves in the office. Shortly after that Mr Murtland Williams, an executive member who supports Mr Nadir came up to the gate and started shouting at me from outside. He lives at the back of the building and has a key to the side gate to his living quarters, but was insisting that we open our office front gate for him.
I also fear for my safety at this moment. I have since visited the Alberttown Police Station and reported Mr Murtland Williams’s behaviour.
I would like everyone to know that I will stand firm in my position as leader and presidential candidate of The United Force and that I am asking Mr Nadir to stop creating trouble for my party. He stepped down as leader and now it is my turn to lead. Let him go his way in peace.
Yours faithfully,
Valerie Garrido-Lowe
Leader and Presidential Candidate
The United Force
