A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Prime Minister and First Vice President Moses Nagamootoo is demanding Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo “retract his false claim…and issue a public apology.”
Jagdeo, last Thursday, April 11, 2024 at his press conference accused Nagamooto of having “an active part” of stealing the 2020 General and Regional Elections.
Jagdeo’s attack was made while commenting on Nagamootoo’s launch on Friday, April 5, 2021 of four new books, “Radical Roots”, “Like Scattered Seeds”, “Paintings in Poetry” and my autobiographical, “Dear Land of Guyana”. At that Launch the former prime minister re-introduced revised editions of his earlier books, “Fragments from Memory” and “Hendree’s Cure”.
Jagdeo’s attack on Nagamootoo, a former senior minister in the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and a member comes as no surprise to political watchers and those who know of his long-held grudge against Nagamootoo.
The former prime minister in a statement categorically denied he had an “active part” in any malpractice associated with the 2020 Elections, which he said is a “slanderous attack” and communicated that he has since consulted his lawyers.
Nagamootoo stated that he is against elections rigging, a position, he said, that was established since 1968.
The results declared for the 2020 Elections by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) showed votes were counted for ballots without supporting legal documents such as the Statements of Poll, dead persons and persons not resident in the jurisdiction on elections day voting. Order 60/2020 which allowed for the Recount of the votes in the 2020 Election was intended to “determine a final credible count.” This was later disregarded. The Recount showed the irregularities unearthed heavily favoured the PPP.
In the PPP’s stronghold, on the lower East Coast Demerara, more than 45 boxes were submitted without legal documentation. GECOM initially set the boxes aside than later added the votes in the tally, fully aware their credibility were questionable and violated the electoral laws.
The PPP has historically benefitted from electoral malpractices (rigged elections).
In 2006 the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) declared the Region Ten geographic seat the Alliance for Change (AFC) won to the PPP then advised the AFC to go to court.
In 2011 GECOM was caught trying to award votes to the PPP it did not win. Opposition-nominated Commissioner Vincent Alexander halted the effort to steal the votes. That election cycle resulted in the Opposition winning the Parliament and the PPP the Executive.
The Court of Guyana nullified the 1997 Elections GECOM declared the PPP won, citing “grave irregularities” and violation of Guyana’s constitution.
Jagdeo ignored established facts the PPP has a history of benefitting from rigged elections.
Refer to
MEDIA STATEMENT BY MOSES V. NAGAMOOTOO, FORMER PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT
My attention was drawn to public statements made by Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo, during a press conference on April 11, 2024, in which he made several false accusations against me, including an allegation that I played “an active part” in stealing elections.
VP Jagdeo, a former President of Guyana, in his capacity as General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), held the press conference at Freedom House. It was carried “live” on and disseminated by several social media platforms. It remains in circulation.
Jagdeo made extended slanderous attacks against me while commenting on the recent launch in Georgetown of my four new books, “Radical Roots”, “Like Scattered Seeds”, “Paintings in Poetry” and my autobiographical, “Dear Land of Guyana”. At that Launch I also re-introduced revised editions of my earlier books, “Fragments from Memory” and “Hendree’s Cure”.
During the media conference Jagdeo said: “He is so shameless to talk that he had to leave the house the next day after Irfaan Ali finally was sworn in after trying to steal elections for five months but forget the stealing of the elections that he was an active part of.” Those defamatory words were said of and about me.
I categorically deny being “an active part” of stealing the 2020 elections, or any other elections, as alleged by the Vice-President.
What is indelibly etched in the public domain is my consistent role AGAINST elections rigging in Guyana since 1968. This is captured in my publication,
“Synopsis of Rigged Elections in Guyana”, in my books, “Fragments from Memory” and “Dear Land of Guyana”, as well as in numerous newspaper articles and speeches.
I call on Jagdeo to retract his false claim that I played “an active part” in stealing elections, and to issue a public apology therefor.
I have since consulted my lawyers.
Moses V. Nagamootoo
Prime Minister and Vice President (2015-2020)
Senior Minister/Member of Parliament (1992-2020)
Attorney-at-law/Journalist
