Maintaining that APNU+AFC won the March 2nd elections and that alleged irregularities unearthed during the recount of the ballots cast are unacceptable, former Public Health Minister and PNCR Chairperson Volda Lawrence has called on coalition supporters to remain calm and peaceful and not to be “provoked” by the actions of others.
“There is a lot of hurt. And hurt is coming from a lot of places. It’s not just one place. [Not] just about who is in power and who is not in power. I think that should be set aside for now. It is the want to understand how could wrong be right… we have been taught truth will always prevail,” Lawrence said on Monday during a live video which was broadcast on fellow coalition candidate James Bond’s Facebook page..
“…I see a lot of persons getting very emotional and saying a lot of derogatory things… I want to say to you my brothers and sisters, despite how we feel, we must not destroy each other. We must not tear down each other because all we have is ourselves… so I am asking you to let us stop, let us take a breath. We know that the coalition won this elections—won this elections on valid votes… I am asking you not to be sidetracked by the many perpetrators of evil out there. Do not let anybody use you, use you to destroy the things which we have built, use you to destroy each other or to attack anyone. Do not be provoked,” she added.
On Sunday afternoon, five months after the polls and after a series of legal battles, PPP/C candidate Irfaan Ali was declared the winner of the presidential elections and subsequently sworn in as the country ninth executive president.
The announcement came after Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield submitted the results of the March 2nd general elections using the results of the national recount, which showed a victory for the PPP/C. The results of the recount have been challenged by the APNU+AFC, which has claimed that alleged irregularities that were uncovered compromised the integrity of the polls.
Lawrence said while her party was in office for the last five years “we have gone to another level”.
“…Tearing up jerseys and cussing and so, that won’t make us win this battle. We have to be steadfast. We have to be there for each other. We have to ensure that we watch each other back and not allow persons to come and use us, especially against each other,” she noted.
Lawrence said that her party has since been engaging and guiding their supporters in the right path and she called on the government to do the same.
“…I would like to say to the opposite side, control your people. We have been speaking to our people. The leader of this coalition, he has said over and over again that he will not endorse lawlessness and he will not endorse the destruction of our people, he will not endorse the destruction of our country. So I am asking you, don’t fit in or put yourself into that description that others have laid out for you… And don’t fall prey to those many foolish and silly people who hide behind some fictitious name and photograph on social media and want to say all manners of things. Don’t fall for that. Please,” Lawrence pleaded.
She noted that this is a time to support each other so that peace and unity can prevail.
“This is time for us to support each other. There are persons who are stronger than others and so you have to be there to brace the weaker ones. We know that persons have a lot of concerns and as always say if you never experience it, then don’t talk about it….please, do not allow your emotions to lead you. You must be in control of your emotions. It’s time for us to take a deep breath, for us to recognise where we are and who is with us and who is against us…we are Guyanese and we all will share in this El Dorado. Each and every one of us and once that is happening, we will live in peace. Let us keep the peace my people,” she further stated.
Lawrence made reference to a recent incident involving one of her former colleagues, Simona Broomes, who alleged that she was threatened at her home.
According to Lawrence, instances like these are not taken “lightly” by her party and should not reoccur.
“We note that former minister, my colleague, [her] life was threatened this morning [Monday] and we don’t take these things lightly. We don’t take them lightly at all,” she said while adding, “What has happened with Minister Broomes must not happen again and it mustn’t happen to any other person. Just like any other citizen in this country, we must feel secure and you have to ensure that the services that are there are there for everyone and it must be accessible”.
She further called on Assistant Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken, who has replaced Deputy Commissioner Maxine Graham, who has since proceeded on accumulated leave ahead of her retirement, to conduct his job “fairly”.
“Mr Hicken you are now back at the helm. Do your job and do it fairly. Do it fairly,” Lawrence said.
“Remember what I said. This is not time for stupidness. This is not time to listen to people who you never see in your life, who come to tell you to tell yourself and your family [are] in harm’s way. We are not here to harm anyone, we are not here to destroy anything that belongs to us,” she stated.
