People’s Progressive Party (PPP) PRESS STATEMENT

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) notes Kaieteur News’ continuous downward spiral into gutter journalism. In any given edition of this newspaper, they are more lies than truths and more fake news that actual news published. Fortunately, more and more people are recognizing the level of deceit and lies, which are being published daily.
The “Guest Editorial” of Oct 15 edition of the newspaper is even worse.
It bore the title, “DISTORTION THE TRUTH”. It did just that: distorted the truth. It contains the following lies:
1. That the Skeldon factory cost 0M USD to be built. When the actual cost is approximately 5M USD;
2. It states that as President, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo did not disclose many contracts entered into by his Government. The truth is that almost every contract of worth was made public. Further, as Leader of the Opposition, Mr Jagdeo has repeatedly called on the Government to make these very contracts public. But they continue to refuse to do so, so that Kaieteur News can continue to peddle this falsity;
3. The editorial accuses Mr Jagdeo of stifling Paul Slowe’s promotion in the Force. The truth is that under Jagdeo’s Administration, Paul Slowe’s upward mobility in the Force landed him the post of Assistant Commissioner of Police. However, and most importantly, under the PPP Administration there was no interference with the Service Commissions as are blatantly taking place now, where two Ministers have separately given directions in writing to the Public Service Commission and the Police Service Commission on behalf of the President, in relation to the promotion of Public and Police Officers. The High Court has already ruled in a challenged filed in relation to the Public Service Commission, declaring the directions as unconstitutional. A ruling to which Attorney General Basil Williams consented. In relation to the directions given to the Police Service Commission, another challenge has been filed in the High Court and this is currently pending;
4. The editorial says that Mr Jagdeo met with ExxonMobil’s officials in Texas – a complete and utter lie;
5. The editorial next contends that Mr Jagdeo approved a feasibility study for the Versailles-Houston location for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge – another lie. A feasibility study was never done under any PPP Government. A pre-feasibility study was done in 2014, under President Donald Ramotar. It is public knowledge that Mr. Jagdeo demitted Office in 2011;
Imagine all these lies are contained in only two articles of one edition of this newspaper.