General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo said that contrary to what is being peddled on social media, his party is not trying to buy votes ahead of the March 2 Regional and General Elections.
During a recent press conference at his Church Street, Georgetown, office, Jagdeo said: “They’ve deliberately started circulating something. A man spoke on a tape and says: ‘dear Sis…PPP buying votes; spending $100M to buy a 150 votes’ – pure nonsense! It’s being circulated on the Whatsapp and stuff. A lot of people [are saying]: ‘oh, the PPP trying to buy votes’ and they called some people[‘s] names which is dangerous because people could be targeted…PPP doesn’t need to buy votes.”
The recording that Jagdeo alluded to, is but one of the many allegations being made against the party.
Article 129 (a) and (b) of the Representation of the People Act, states: “The following persons shall be deemed guilty of the corrupt practice of treating-
a. every person who corruptly, by himself or by any other person, either before, during or after an election, directly or indirectly, gives or provides or pays wholly or in part the expense of giving or providing any food, drink, entertainment or provision to or for any person for the purpose of corruptly influencing that person, or any other person, to vote or to refrain from voting, at the election, or on account of such person, or any other person, having voted or refrained from voting, or being about to vote or refrain from voting, at the election;
b. every elector who corruptly accepts or takes any such food, drink, entertainment or provision.
The penalty for such transgressions is provided for in Article 133, which states: “Every person who is guilty of a corrupt practice other than a specified in section 134, shall, on conviction on indictment be liable to a fine of one thousand dollars and to imprisonment for one year.”
