[www.inewsguyana.com] – Board Member of Blue CAPS, Michael Leonard has expressed concern about the safety of students of will be sitting CXC and CAPE examinations on May 11 – the same day that Guyanese will go to the polls.
During his appearance on the radio programme ‘Hard Talk’ aired on 90.1Love FM on Sunday, January 25, Leonard pointed out the fact that school venues are usually utilized as polling stations by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), therefore the security of the students are at risk.
He is of the view that more consideration should have been given to the date by President Donald Ramator and the PPP government.
“I don’t want to be a pessimist and I really hope that nothing like this happens but we have had looting in the past on those days and if I had a young child and they were writing CXC at one of the schools in Georgetown and I am in Mahaica, I wouldn’t feel comfortable as a parent, knowing that they are there and these things can just happen like that.”
He suggested that another date be announced for Elections Day. Leonard also chastised the President for not consulting with Opposition Leader, David Granger before announcing an election date.
“…the Opposition represents right now just over 50% of the public, whether they represent me or my neighbor, they represent 50% of the people, they are important.”
Meanwhile, in responding to Leonard’s concerns, Minister of Local Government & Regional Development Norman Whittaker, who also appeared on the radio programme, explained that prime consideration was given by the President and Cabinet on the issues raised.
“There is nothing that limits the venue for the writing of exams to school buildings and so all of those would have been considered and measures will be put in place to ensure that there is no disturbing children’s writing the examination or the teachers involved in supervision, parents involved in supervision.”
The Local Government Minister is adamant that there was nothing sinister about the May, 11.
“Why would we want to do that and what gain would we get from doing that? There were several considerations I don’t think the President woke up one day or got out of his sleep and chose a date; there were several considerations including what the constitution requires.”
According to the CSEC timetable, the subjects scheduled to be written on that day are Agricultural Science (Double and Single Awards); Theatre Arts; Electrical and Electronic Technology (Technical); and Food and Nutrition Paper Two.
CAPE subjects scheduled to be written on that day include Geometrical and Mechanical Engineering Drawing Unit One – Paper Two; History Unit One – Paper Two; Art and Design Examinations to begin for Unit One, Papers Two and Three, and Unit Two, Papers One and Two; and Communication Studies Paper Two.
The integrity Commission is awaiting Granger’s input before it can be funtional. When the committee was elected the PNC agreed to it. All Granger have to do is say that he accepts that the Parliamentarians can be investigated. He can also say which member he is not comfortable with but he trow all the good cards in the bin when he joined with AFC. That was what Granger could have done with his one seat majority opposition.
But you would vote for Corbin (alledged rapist), Greenidge (FAILED FINANCE MINISTER) Granger (his party has no confidence in his leadership) Basil Williams (alledged paedophile) Nigel Hughes (witness tampering) Also how many of your so called politicians are actually qualified policitcians who have an idea of what it takes to run a party and a country?? The populace will make sure that the CRAPNU never gets control and further don’t be surprised if afc and PPP kick them out of parliament. Keep your friend close but your enemies closer!!!
The integrity commission is Made up of the PPP/C party people. Edgehill. What kind of justice the opposition will get from him aND THE COMMISSION. The opposition should wait until they get into parliament then Jail the PPP/C bastards for thieving the Guyanese people monies. Listen to what Edgehill a member of the so call integrity commission have to say about anything these days. He is a PPP/C party man front, center and rear.
One must not be fed up with hear say. If PPP thief, like the opposition alleging, why isn’t the opposition agreeing to complete the Integrity Commission which would have the capability to punish the thieves. So long as the opposition say that PPP thieving it is considered baseless. They should suggest methods to bring the thieves justice using solid evidence. It is the opposition’s incompetency to produce constructive methods to solve critical issues that is responsible for them (the opposition) to remain the opposition.
i would not bet the family house or jewels on the opposition not winning my friend. The PPP/C thief too much, we fed up. like the man Rohee said a man can work at a low level job all he life and when he turn President he can be the richest man in Guyana on the salary he get pay from the Government. Imagine that, who want 4 more years of that.
The opposition failed as usual to provide an alternative date that will remain within the constitutional framework in their criticism against the Date Set for elections. Despite not having the constitutional power to Set a date, the opposition have the power to give their opinion. However their opinion was filled with fear and misinformation to the guyanese public and failed to constructively solved the problem. Such criticism are normally trown into trash cans because the only add problem to problem and not solutions to problem.
If you are a Blue cap supporter then you should be ashamed of your self to be writing such a comment.
When will you show confidence on the Systems in guyana? When Granger start kill his enemy and Greenidge selling out guyana and Ramjattan giving contracts to his buddy friends. If the opposition is to rule guyana in the future, which will not happen, they would have the same constitution to follow unless the have a 2/3 majority in Parliament or the choose not to adhere to the Constitution, which they are know for during the Burnham dictatorship period.
Update: sorry for the PEACE misspelling but understand the gravity of the shituation when I was reading the Blue Caps concerns ….
Blue Caps onto something here which the rest of us don’t know….. I suspect they think someone, some group, are intent on violence and like every decent poor, rich, super rich Guyanese very concerned. I must commend them and to this end I believe the second thing to do after this expression is to officially notify the LEAD Representative to whom they take guidance and the ABC Ambasadors and Head of Missions. Immediate steps should be taken to have the Blue Caps have CTV surveillance at all potential areas and polling sites. When individuals are detected and recorded their pictures immediately be sent to Interpol, the respective embassies and missions so “ALL VISAS BE DENIED” ipso facto …. Especially since both military men in the APNU have already issued WARNINGS !!! Am defecating my pants as I think about the potentiality and the Lusignan, Linden and Agricola in piece time outside of elections !!! Toilet paper ran out ..
And who is responsible for that,,its different this time around, you have a police force headed by Seelall, your ppl, and most of the criminals now are indians , is them will be doing the crimes,,so dont be scared,,
The date is just a reflection of how much they care for anything,,nothing intrest these fools, so its nothing strange if the date was on one of they holidays ,,i have a question for the idols of the PPP,,would you vote PPP if the president was eg, R Benn, and the prime minister was Juan Edgill? It would be nice to see how many votes they would get ,,
History shows that any form of violence dring elections in this country has always been orchestrated by the PNC! Your comments should be directed to that political party Mr. Leonard. The president ought to have consulted with Granger to decide on a date??? I’m sorry but Mr. Granger is just the leader or the oppostion party so don’t try making him to be someone else other than that. In any even they the opposition had already closed th doors on any further dialogue with the president, so I can’t begin to comprehend why you would want to utter this piffle. Election date is May 11th, 2015, vote or don’t vote the choice is yours.
I think this decision will have a negative effect on PPP/C at the poles….lets wait and see…or could just be a time buying trick…we might just not have election this year…
That is how the PPP/C treating school children and families, BECAUSE THEY CARE. Guyanese do you see how every thing is coming together and showing exactly the type of people the ruling party PPP/C is made up of. Ramotar don’t care because none of his children writing CXC. The future of Guyana depend on those young students successfully passing those examinations yet he is willing to jeopardize that success in having elections on examination day. That Certainly shows how much The PPP/C CARE FOR school children.
this goes to show the level of our people…i think this is the only caribbean country where people got to be scared come election time..if we care about theses children future then we should do the right thing
I want to ask the opposition a question. Who or which part of the population will be affected during election day? Only one set of people are the brave ones , because they are the bullies. Am speaking from my experience. I was mugged and beaten up 2002, by black people .
These stupid opposition, no day will suit these narrow minded goats. It’s the opposition and they worshippers that will want to make or instigate problems, on election day.