The Guyana Diaspora Gazette (GDG)group on Tuesday said it was concerned by the recent announcement by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) of its withdrawal from a series of nationally televised public debates on Corruption in Guyana.
“We in the Diaspora have been paying keen attention to the evolving climate of interaction in our homeland and given our history we have viewed the introduction of these public debates as a significant advancement of our democracy and in holding public officials accountable for their actions irrespective of which side of the National Assembly they may sit” the GDG said.
It noted that over the past few months it was following closely the numerous public statements made by the APNU apart from other opposition political parties regarding issues of corruption in the Guyana Government.
“Based on these statements, several concerns were raised especially by intended remigrants and prospective investors in Guyana to the GDG group and we have been trying to ascertain the facts to provide as much clarity as possible to address those queries.
In view of this reality we are in a position of quandary to explain that the largest block in the Guyana opposition which leveled a number of serious charges of corruption has now abruptly refused to participate in a process which not only provides clarity on issues but offers them a chance to expose the corrupt dealings of which they claimed to have the evidence” the GDG said.
It noted that it is not only citizens of Guyana who have been caught off guard by this sudden U-turn by the APNU but those in the Diaspora who have keenly followed the debates which are streamed live on the internet by the broadcasting entity, NCN.
APNU on Monday announced that it was pulling out of the debate series on corruption hosted by the state TV NCN, citing a plot by the government and NCN’s failure to include several topics suggested by the party, as the main reasons for this pull out.