Election disturbances: “Business community very nervous” – PSC Chairman

By Jomo Paul

[www.inewsguyana.com] – After a full 24 hours of several reports of disturbances across the country and a major unrest in South Sophia on the evening of May 11, the Private Sector Commission Chairman, Ramesh Persaud says that the business community is rather uneasy.

Indeed along Regent Street, several businesses remained closed and others took extra security precautions to ensure that the integrity of their establishments would not be compromised in the event of any unrest.

The PSC Chairman at a news conference on Tuesday May 12, some 20 hours after polling would have officially ended, said that Guyana’s “business community was very nervous.”

He made the statement in the context that the recent disturbances are unnerving and would present a complication for the business sector to thrive.

Persaud made the point that Guyana has a history of violence in the aftermath of General and Regional polls.

“Based on historical scenarios…we know what can escalate and those things that happened last night are indicators,” said the Private Sector Chairman.

However, the ABC envoys are urging that Guyana return to a state of normalcy since they believe whatever results are announced by GECOM would be credible and accurate.

“Practice patience, it takes a while to deliver elections results and we need to give GECOM space and time to do that,” said Canadian High Commissioner, Dr Nicole Giles.

British High Commissioner James Gregory Quinn said “we need to give time to GECOM to deliver the results” adding that “anything else you hear from any other organization should not be accepted as the results.”

He also said that the results must be accepted as the general will of the majority of Guyanese.

“Everyone must accept the results…it’s what this country needs and it’s what this country wants,” said Quinn.

On this point, Persaud noted that the PSC has “found nothing material that will affect the outcome of the results…we believe that once GECOM announces the results it will be accurate.”

This is despite complaints from the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic about some Election Day irregularities which were dismissed as minor issues.