A STRING of violent protest actions sprang up in People’s Progressin Party/ Civic (PPP/C) stronghold areas on Friday over the results from Monday’s General and Regional Elections, which show, that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) is in the lead with 237,140 votes – 7, 690 votes more than the PPP/C.
In Bush Lot and Bath Settlement on the West Coat of Berbice (WCB), Region Five, irate supporters blocked the main access road along the WCB corridor before setting it on fire.
When the Guyana Chronicle arrived at Bush Lot at around I 3:30hrs, the protesters were burning tyres on the main access road, in the vicinity of the Guyana Presbyterian Church – Bush Lot. It was not long after that they broke down a wooden food shed and dragged it unto the road before setting it setting it alight. Thick black smoke could be seen billowing into the air as the protestors hurled racial slurs as ranks of the Guyana Police Force stood a short distance away.
On the opposite end from where the police stood, residents from neighbouring villages could be seen approaching the blocked area but before U1ey could have gotten closer, the Bush Lot residents started pelting glass bottles in their direction.
Meanwhile, on the other end, just pass the police officers, a small group of residents from neighboring villages could be seen with pieces of wood and cutlasses in their hands. Attempts were made to confront the PPP/C supporters but the Divisional Commander, Yonette Stephens, and her ranks kept them at bay, even as she urged them to go home.
The neighbouring residents had expressed concerns for the wellbeing of their children who attend the Bush Lot Secondary School.
Moments after, police with riot gears appeared in tile location and quickly dispersed
the crowd. The fire fighters later arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire.
At Bush Lot, the Divisional Commander told the Guyana Chronicle tllat the situation was under control. She noted then tllat her division. was monitoring three locations- one at Bush Lot and two at Bath Settlement. Ranks from both Regions Four and Six were sent to the locations to offer assistance.
But while the situation at Bush Lot was brought under control, Bath had proven to be problematic for the police. Initially, the protestors set old fam1ing equipment on fire on a bridge. on the WCB corridor. From a distance, police officers with riot gears lined the road, and slowly approached the area while chanting “This is an unlawful gathering, disperse and go home, but the protestors failed to heed to the warning.
A man was seen walking towards the police. He wa subsequently asked to move. Though the protestors did not evacuate the area, the pol ice manage to take control of the bridge. The fire was put out by the Fire Service and tile huge farming equipment was removed from the bridge.
But even as the police were clearing the bridge, the protestors gan lighting more 6res throughout the length of the road :spanning the village of Bath. When the Guyana Chronicle left the scene, there was no physical confrontation between the protestors and the police. A resident of Bath, who looked on from her yard, told the G nyana Chronicle that residents were triggered by GECOM’s decision to declare the votes for Rtgion Four (Demerara-Mahaica) without following the established veri6ution process.
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_e-paper_3-7-2020