Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

APNU/AFC Govt “witch hunt”

Less than six months after the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition took office, hundreds of people are being “quietly terminated”, because of their ethnicity and/or their perceived political affiliation, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo claimed.

A large number of officials who served under the previous regime have already had their employment terminated.

The former President told Guyana Times on Friday evening, “Those who are not being terminated because of these, their job environment is being made so uncomfortable that they are being forced to resign. So that is a silent number we don’t see who are forced to resign because of workplace discrimination…and what we have replacing them are people who are unqualified, who are pure politicians, like in the case of Berbice with Mr [Veerasammy] Ramayya.” He was referring to Ramaya who was dubbed “quasi political” by Minister of the Presidency Joseph Harmon.

Bharat Dindyal

He said Government’s move to appoint Ramayya as the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) was “very disturbing”.

“Ramayya replaced a technical person and unfortunately, he does not possess any financial skills to manage the finances of the said Region,” Jagdeo stated.

Meanwhile, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP) Irfaan Ali told this newspaper that the issue of “witch-hunting” and harassment of public servants and public officials continued to be one that was of great concern to him and his party.

“A lot of young professionals, the stories are not coming out in the press, they are forced on a daily basis to resign because of the inhumane treatment, because of the harassment, because of the insults that are meted out to them. This is something that continues on a daily basis. The most recent case is that of Mr Chamanlall Naipaul, who comes from Region Three. I think it is disgusting to [so] treat a senior journalist, a man who has so much of experience and has given so much of his life towards journalism, especially in Government service,” said Ali.

Lionel Wordsworth

He stated that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo must be aware of the potential and capabilities of Naipaul because the two of them worked with each other during the Guyana Information Service (GIS) days.

“I know this personally. I think that we have to address the issue nationally whereby professionals, a lot of young professionals are sent home, sent on leave and harassed to resign and these are the stories that are not getting out there. I think that the population needs to understand that this is not only an ethnic issue, but this is an issue which is about retaining the skills, protecting people’s rights and their interests,” the PPP/C MP explained.

He noted that if persons in authority or those who have some power in the country could not protect these workers’ rights and their interests as well as their democratic freedoms with regard to employment, then “we are in a serious state” here in Guyana.

Ali emphasised that the powers that be should and are expected to execute their duties and obligations to all citizens of Guyana without fear or favour and without affection or ill will.

Rajendra Singh

“If you are going to say the perception of someone being affiliated with a political party and to harass them, to have them be fired, giving them retirement packages, I think it is directly infringing on persons’ democratic rights in workplaces… we believe that regardless of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation, they must have fair access to such,” he added.

Badree Persaud

Only recently, several high-profile officials were sent on leave including the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation, Rajendra Singh; the Guyana Oil Company, Badree Persaud; the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth; and Guyana Power and Light, Bharat Dindyal among others .