Over the past months, the government has handed over vehicles, among other things including money to Rupununi communities and PPP/C affiliated groups and also made extensive use of state resources for their election campaign, according to several residents who have expressed concern.
Residents, during a visit by Stabroek News to Aishalton and Karaudar-nau in the Deep South Rupununi as well as Lethem from Tuesday to Friday, also expressed concern at the divisiveness of the ruling party’s campaign in the region. “This party is dividing the people, even the culture groups here are divided,” Ramsaran George, a resident of Aishalton told Stabroek News.
George is a member of the Aishalton Culture Group and said that they had applied for funds over three years ago through the village council to construct a building to promulgate the Amerindian culture and teach craft making. He said that the money was approved and arrived three weeks ago but at a meeting of the village council at which the PPP/C coordinator Petronella Michael as well as Community Support Officers were present, Michael claimed that his group was an “APNU culture group.”
George said that his group was established about 15 years ago. “We form the culture group before APNU…is almost 15 years,” he said. The man recalled that the amount granted was $1.5 million but they are now being told that it is $1.4 million. He said that a PPP/C activist, who heads another culture group in the village, uplifted the money and the building is now being constructed next to the PPP/C’s ‘Freedom House’ in Aishalton.
Stabroek News visited the tiny building which is only partially constructed. Other residents said that funds had run low and alleged that money which was supposed to be for the building was spent on stereo sets, amplifiers and other equipment which are being used for PPP/C campaign meetings. At the Aishalton Freedom House, an elderly man who said that he was a voluntary security guard could not give any information on the matter when Stabroek News visited.
Another Aishalton resident, Herman Ritchie, who acknowledged his support for the APNU+AFC alliance, said that the PPP/C campaign is dividing the community. He also highlighted the use of community resources for the PPP/C campaign, which was denied to the opposition.
He related that on April 14, a minibus was handed over to a satellite community of Aishalton by President Donald Ramotar and it was used to ferry people to and from PPP/C campaign meetings. Stabroek News was present at a PPP/C meeting in Aishalton when Regional vice-chairman Douglas Casimero told the driver to take people home. In addition, mechanical problems are also being encountered with the vehicle even though it was only recently handed over, Stabroek News was told.
In Karaudarnau, a pick-up was also recently handed over to the toshao by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai and it has encountered numerous problems. The vehicle was accepted by the toshao over the objections of a number of residents who were unhappy with its condition. The vehicle cost over $4 million but others have said that they have purchased vehicles in better condition for less.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett was told of the problems encountered with the vehicle during a campaign meeting on Thursday and she said that she would have checked before accepting it. However, she was told that the toshao is making decisions on his own without informing the village council.
An Achwib village pick-up used to ferry supporters to a PPP/C campaign meeting in Aishalton recently, encountered mechanical difficulties and remains parked in a resident’s yard in Karaudarnau. Rodrigues-Birkett’s team was also using the vehicle of the Community Development Officer.
The PPP/C is also using Community Support Officers (CSOs) to do campaign work according to several residents and George said that he personally witnessed as CSOs visited the elderly and asked about identification cards and who they were voting for. He said that the people approached were asked to vote for the “cup.”
For some residents, the divisions as a result of the campaign were alarming as many persons were criticised for their perceived support of the opposition. School teacher John Adams said that he was called a ‘Kanaima’ by the PPP/C’s coordinator in Aishalton who asked residents if they want a ‘Kanaima’ to be representing them. “Names are being called that is very, very nasty,” George said.
At a meeting with Rodrigues-Birkett in Karaudarnau, when the matter was brought up by a resident, PPP supporters hissed and called names. After listening to the concern raised, the minister urged respect though it was not clear that persons heeded her advice.
