‘Terrorist’ statement brouhaha-another Opposition attempt to concoct a controversy – AG

Another attempt by the opposition to fabricate a hullabaloo where one does not exist in reality and in fact, and another desperate and clumsy attempt to justify their rejection of a transformational project that can have the impact of bringing immeasurable good to the people of Guyana, and the country as a whole, is how Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs described the opposition’s latest action.

In an interview today, AG Nandlall, speaking on the issue of the opposition’s reaction to what they term ‘terrorist’ remark attributed to the President, said he has examined the Head of State’s speech and read it in its entirety and the word terrorism is not mentioned in the speech.

“The president’s speech is entitled ‘an act of terrorism against development of Guyana’…therefore to suggest or contend that the president accused the opposition of terrorism in his speech is palpably wrong and is a manifest falsehood. The president simply did not do so,” AG Nandlall stated.

He was referring to the speech made by His Excellency following the July 18 sitting of the National Assembly during which the combined parliamentary opposition voted against the bill and motion for the Amaila Hydro Electric project.

“Even if the word terrorism was used in the speech, in the manner in which it appeared in the headline, it does not convey the impression that the opposition Members of Parliament are terrorists.  The world knows the definition of a terrorist. The word ‘terrorism’ here, if it was used, would have been used in a metaphoric or figurative way and fashion, to therefore contend that this constitutes an allegation that the president has deemed or accused the opposition of being terrorists is ridiculous,” the AG stated.

He contended that, “ Having rejected, in error I hope, the Amaila project, the opposition has been the subject of tremendous public pressure, and I have no doubt pressure from their own supporters, and therefore anything that will provide them an attempt to divert attention and blame from themselves to someone else they will capitalise on. This is simply another attempt to do so.”

The opposition walked out of a Parliamentary Select Committee on the Anti Money Laundering legislation during a meeting on Monday, saying they will not participate in other meetings unless the president withdraws his ‘terrorist’ statement.

But, the AG said while the Government members on the committee have been working feverishly to complete the task at hand having regards to the August 26 timeline, the opposition members long before this ‘terrorism’ statement, were not attending the meetings.

“Khemraj Ramjattan representing the Alliance for Change (AFC) has been absent for the last five meetings. What caused him not to attend those meetings?

The A Partnership for National Unity which has four members, only one of those four regularly attended the last five meetings. How do they account for those absences? No one should be fooled by these disguised attempts to sabotage the country and its people on matters of national importance like the Amaila Falls project and the Anti Money Laundering bill,” the AG concluded.