“I will continue to speak out against injustices” – Jagdeo

Government on Monday came out in high defence against what it said were attacks by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, when he addressed persons in the Diaspora during a recent visit to New York.

At the occasion, Jagdeo told US-based Guyanese that there is an attack on democracy in Guyana, and more specifically, supporters of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

“Guyana needs a spirit of community to ensure that we defend our people through these dark times. There is an assault on democracy, on the people of Indian origin and there is an assault on the supporters of the PPP…” Jagdeo had said. He said too that Guyana has returned to the days of “dictatorship,” in just a year under the leadership of the new Government.

But Government was not too pleased with the comments made by the former Head of State, and called it out as “irresponsible, hateful and malicious.”

A release from the Ministry of the Presidency said that at a time when Guyanese are focused on the efforts to foster closer relations and achieve a greater level of social cohesion, Government considers it reprehensible that the Opposition Leader has chosen to sow seeds of division, discord and race hate.

It said that the claim that there is an “assault on people of Indian origin” is despicable, without any basis and a complete figment of Jagdeo’s imagination.

“On the contrary, the policies of the coalition Government are designed to achieve the good life for all Guyanese, not a handpicked few as was the case under the PPP regime, which was rejected by the Guyanese electorate on May 11, 2015 in free and fair elections,” Government said.

But soon after Government’s response, Jagdeo again responded, saying the comments made in New York were no different to the ones he has been making in Guyana at press conferences and on the campaign trail in the lead up to the March 2016 Local Government Elections.

“I spoke to the issues of racial and political discrimination, the lack of an economic plan, the taxation policies, as well as the repressive laws that have been advanced and the threats to local democracy under the [A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change] APNU/AFC coalition.”

He said despite the charges made, his record on bolstering racial harmony and advancing equal development across the country, regardless of race, speaks for itself.

“That is not a position I need to defend. However, I have spoken out and will continue to speak out about the injustices against our people. While Nagamootoo claims that the coalition’s policies are geared to deliver the ‘good life’ to all Guyanese and touts social cohesion, he ignores the reality of many of our Guyanese people – the thousands of young Amerindians who were fired, the many Indo-Guyanese removed from their jobs, the assault on the sugar industry and the non-support of the rice and mining sectors,” Jagdeo said.

According to the Opposition Leader, Nagamootoo, who he said had “talked up what Jaganites would do, but he – as a hypocritically ‘self-professed Jaganite’ – has positioned himself to defend the murder of Dr Walter Rodney, years of rigged elections and denial of democracy in Guyana for years under the People’s National Congress (PNC) – the same PNC that is the majority partner of the coalition”.

 “The only thing in the Prime Minister’s portfolio, as evidenced recently, seems to be making statements to attack the PPP. Further this ‘self-professed Jaganite’ only issues press releases while he enjoys the luxuries of $45 million of renovations to his residence, $20 million in furnishings, $22 million for a new vehicle, a $1.7 million salary and another $8 million per month for security and other costs – contrast that with the plight of our people.”

The coalition Government fails to recognise that its policies and actions do not only hurt people perceived to be supportive of the political Opposition, but all Guyanese across the country, Jagdeo noted.