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Tourism Minister defends Government’s firing of “obstructionist” public servants

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February 25,2021

In her contribution to the budget debates, the technocrat Minister said many of the public servants who were terminated by the PPP Civic administration were linked to the APNU+AFC coalition and did not hide their allegiance. She said their firing had nothing to do with any ethnic cleansing of the public service as argued by the Opposition.

Tourism and Business Minister, Oneidge Walrond today defended the government’s firing of scores of public servants since taking office last August.

In her contribution to the budget debates, the technocrat Minister said many of the public servants who were terminated by the PPP Civic administration were linked to the APNU+AFC coalition and did not hide their allegiance. She said their firing had nothing to do with any ethnic cleansing of the public service as argued by the Opposition.

“Some of these Public Servants were captured on camera praying and referring to anyone outside of their “chosen political circle” as “devils”. Some said that the PPPC was rigging the election. Others said that any PPP/C administration would be illegitimate under any circumstances. Some said they had no intention nor inclination to work with a PPP/C government. These sentiments were not hidden Mr. Speaker. They were openly and bluntly expressed and, in some cases, unrelenting in their frequency. Then…Mr. Speaker after five long months during which these very people were encouraged, emboldened but ultimately abandoned by those now on the other side, after some of these very public servants who were educated enough, old enough and senior enough to know better stepped squarely into the political affray, instead of doing the right thing and resigning, they continued to occupy office.”

Walrond who served in a senior public service position under the APNU+AFC government and is also a former Magistrate said many of the public servants who were sent home were bent on obstructing the government’s plans and works.

She said “the real problem was that having opted to remain in office, some were not content to buckle down and do the job, many were determined to be obstructionist and engaged in behaviour that could not reasonably be interpreted as anything other than obstruction given their stated sentiments. Some came to this very House Mr. Speaker and refused to assist in providing information in response to questions asked during consideration of the Estimates by the People’s Representatives on the other side themselves”, the Minister said, while not providing any names of the public servants accused of stifling the new government of information.  

The Tourism Minister told the National Assembly that not all of the terminated public servants could be seen as obstructionists as many of them left their posts in good standing after being fired.

“I am not saying that all persons separated from the Public Service were obstructionist. This is not the case. I say however Mr. Speaker that when the Opposition takes to Social Media – and lumps the Good with the Bad and the Ugly in their quest to pursue a narrative of racial discrimination – they do a disservice to those who separated from the public service with dignity”, she noted.

The Opposition has accused the government of firing more than 1000 mostly Afro-Guyanese public servants since taking office. Many of those fired were not knowingly linked to any political party.

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@Ramakant-P posted:

They were fired because of a lack of skill or competence; bungling or clumsiness, an inept performance not showing any judgment, sense, or reasonable aptitude, inappropriate or foolishness.

How was the vacation, yuh looking tan.???

K

FLASHBACK

Former president, government officials arrested in Guyana

Tuesday, March 07, 2017

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — Former president Bharrat Jagdeo was among several high profile members of the main opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) arrested on Tuesday as police continued their probe into the acquisition of land by several former ministers and members of the last Guyana government.
Members of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) also arrested Dr Roger Luncheon, the former head of the Presidential Secretariat and the former natural resources minister Robert Persaud.
As he was being taken away by officers, Luncheon told reporters that “we are fully supportive and cooperating with the police in their investigations”.
Luncheon was taken away from the Office of the Opposition Leader in the presence of Jagdeo and former president Donald Ramotar, as well as former attorney general Anil Nandlall.
The police said he was being arrested for the alleged misappropriation of state assets and conspiracy.
The move by SOCU comes less than 24 hours after Nandlall had written to the investigating body that the members of the former government would make themselves available for questioning at the Leader of the Opposition’s office instead of at the SOCU headquarters.
Jagdeo, Luncheon and Persaud were later released. they were not required to post bail.
Ramotar’s daughter Lisaveta Ramotar, former Secretary to NICIL, Marcia Nadir-Sharma and former president of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramesh Dookhoo were also being questioned by investigators on Tuesday.
Prior to his arrest, Jagdeo told reporters that “this act will long be remembered as a grave injustice,” and that the arrest of Luncheon had nothing to do with corruption but about attacking those who are resisting the government.
Several former members of the last government, including Jagdeo, have sprawling properties in the area that was developed exclusively for them and media reports here said that other persons who were also offered land in the area and took the offer up, are also to be questioned by SOCU.
A forensic audit into the land deal, found that the recipients underpaid for the sea side lands by more than GUY$250 million (One Guyana dollar =US$0.004 cents).
The audit report also pointed to the subsequent sale of the lots acquired by at least two former ministers for GUY$100 million and GUY$90 million respectively.
The report noted that in 2010, the PPP government, through the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), also spent more than GUY$200 million to develop the area.

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R
@Mitwah posted:

Suh yuh stayed at the Palms.

Mits, check out the photo of the girl I raved.about and let me know what you honestly think!  cain thinks something's wrong with my eyes! It's on the Eligible Small Businesses forum!

FM
Last edited by Former Member

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