The ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is condemning apparent efforts to sabotage the campaign of at least one of their candidates, not only through social media platforms, but prank calls to law enforcement officers.
Addressing the media yesterday afternoon in a press conference at the DLP’s Christ Church East Central Constituency Office at Kingsland, Christ Church, General Secretary George Pilgrim issued a call for those contesting the upcoming general election and their supporters to keep it clean. He condemned the actions of those who have created and disseminated a fake advertisement of a community rally that the DLP’s candidate, the incumbent for the Christ Church East Central seat, Ronald Jones, is hosting tonight.
Pilgrim, while acknowledging that Jones is indeed hosting a community rally at Lodge Road, Christ Church tonight, made it clear the ad that promotes free alcohol for those attending and carries the tagline ‘Help us BUY your Vote’ is bogus.
“We expect that this election will be heavily associated with fake news. Today the Democratic Labour Party wants to condemn the direction in which this campaign is attempting to go, and we want to distance ourselves from any attempt to associate the Democratic Labour Party with giving free [alcohol], or an ad which suggests that the Democratic Labour Party is running a promotion on a campaign which says ‘buy your vote’,” he said.
The General Secretary indicated that he had received several calls about the fake ad, which he believes was created by persons who are being paid on a daily basis to scour social media and create fake news going into the election campaign.
Pilgrim, who is adamant that the fake news is hurting this country and its people, took the opportunity to appeal to all those who are engaging in that “trade” to rethink their actions.
“The reality about this is that Ronald Jones will never be able to remove from the highway of social media that [which] has been posted of him and what it says here. Ten years from now this image will be still in circulation and this is the difference with this campaign.”
Adding to the General Secretary’s comments, Jones too condemned the action, as he noted that within hours of the original ad being disseminated online yesterday, the fake one started to make the rounds.
“That is something I really abhor. We have had elections in Barbados, yes the cut and thrust was strong, but we have never descended into this level of behaviour that one is seeing emerging,” he said.
The Christ Church East Central candidate, who is seeking his fourth term in office, revealed that the defacing of the ad is but the latest attempt by detractors to sabotage his campaign. He told the media that last Friday police officers showed up at his constituency office, on account of a report that there was a “major disturbance” there, only to come and find that it was a hoax. Jones said he was also informed that on Thursday night a similar call was made to the Oistins Police Station.
“I would hope those who lead organisations involved in this election would speak to their supporters, just speak to them, because I’m sure that nobody in a leadership position is encouraging this level of behaviour; and if they are, then they need to stop. You cannot pull back into the paddock or into the barn when horses get loose and trample,” he warned.
He added, “Three months ago I saw posters all over Barbados; I don’t think any of them were torn down, or defaced or damaged, weather and time took care of that. We want to suggest peace [and] harmony, let’s win the hearts of the electorate through our ideas, our policies, our programmes, our discussions with them, rather than resort to negative behaviour that can only be catastrophic for Barbados.”
The three-time Member of Parliament is asking whoever is targeting his campaign to cease and desist.
“Those who want to win, win fair and square without resorting to these negatives,” he pleaded. (JRT)쇓