On Monday morning, 3rd May 2004 at about 4.a.m., Mr. Roy Fleming, the candidate for the People’s Action Movement Central Basseterre constituency, and his team of volunteers were mounting election billboards at the corner of Central and College Street, Basseterre (next to Government Headquarters).
While there, one Ashley Allers, a prominent Labour Party activist approached Mr. Fleming and his team, brandishing a gun at them and demanding that they remove the billboard. He then grabbed hold of the ladder with two of the volunteers on it and shook it violently. He mounted the ladder, pushed the gun in the back of the neck of one of the volunteers causing him to jump from the ladder.
Allers then knocked the billboard down and smashed it into the ground.
Mr. Fleming then proceeded to call the female police officer on duty at Government Headquarters. Unable to restrain Allers, she summoned ‘back up’ and had him arrested and his gun confiscated. Allers was later released on bail.
The People’s Action Movement condemns these acts of violence and intimidation particularly following so closely on the destruction of an election billboard for the Party Chairman and candidate for Constituency No.7, Mr. Chesley Hamilton.
The People’s Action Movement maintains we will not be intimidated and will steadfastly defend our rights.
P.R.O.
People’s Action Movement
c/o The Democrat
