Govt. spokesman regrets statements on MPs trip to India

Jan 23, 2018 News, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...n-mps-trip-to-india/

Government’s Director of Public Information, Imran Khan, has expressed regret over the comments posted via Facebook regarding Guyana’s delegation to the inaugural conference for People of Indian Origin Members of Parliament held in India earlier this month.

While Khan had maintained that he made the post as a private citizen and not as a public official, yesterday he indicated that on reflection, he appreciated how some persons could have come to have interpreted the post as being, in some way, reflective of an official position given the public office he holds.

“Such an interpretation was entirely unintended and I sincerely regret the furor which resulted. In retrospect, the post should either have benefitted from greater elegance or not have been made,” Khan stated via Facebook.

Khan’s post essentially questioned why no Minister of the Government was invited to be part of the India forum. He raised the issue of whether the Indian High Commission in Guyana was interfering in Guyana’s internal affairs and attempting to engage in destabilisation of the Coalition Government.

Khan succeeded in attracting the attention of India’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Venkatachalam Mahalingam, who described the comments as reckless in addressing such a serious issue on social media.
The High Commissioner stated that Khan’s comments were a clear intention to mislead the general public.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon had said that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo would examine the matter. Guyana’s delegation was the largest and included 20 MPs, 17 from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and three from the Coalition Government.

Khan stated that he noted that several persons interpreted that it was done in his official capacity and represented the views of Government of Guyana.

“As I have stated before, I did not express those views on behalf of the Department of Public Information or the Government. My remarks were made on my Facebook page in my personal capacity as a Guyanese citizen, and I claim full responsibility,” Khan stated.

The Director noted that overall Guyana and India continue to enjoy decades old excellent diplomatic relations and doubts that the post could have posed any danger to this.

“I sincerely regret the post and what ensued thereafter and wish to assure that it was, in no way, reflective, either formally or informally, of any position of the Government of Guyana,” Khan noted.

Some persons called on Khan to remove the post, including Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence.

“This is distasteful and not in keeping with how this Government treats their guests,” Lawrence stated in response to Khan’s post.

According to Mahalingam, many in the top hierarchy of the Government and Guyana High Commission in New Delhi are aware of the invitations from Government of India for 23 MPs and three Mayors of Guyana and the rationale behind inviting only those Persons of Indian Origin MPs who are not Ministers.

Utter nonsense by this individual on his actions.

If Pakis see Imran Khan they will ask him what part of South India he is from. There is no such thing as a chocolate Arab.

The Guyana Government distance itself again from another controversial statement by this SOB yet he is still on their payroll. 

This is another so call Indian who marry a black and don’t see the benefit of Indians .

These hypocrites , the likes of a few we see mushrooming around  ... should change their name . 

Dave like you forgot Prashad is married to a mulatto woman.

Prashad posted:

Dave like you forgot Prashad is married to a mulatto woman.

You never forget your roots Prash. 

Come in Djanjo what’s your thought on this so call Government spokes person.

Harman and Volda wasn’t afraid to give their opinion. 

Why Imran Khan expressing regret? Everybaddy know dat India PM Narendra Modi is a divisive figure. Naturally he would invite dem people who hold up "DEVIDE" placards in parliament. 

Seriously now, Imran Khan was absolutely out of place to express that controversial opinion publicly on Facebook. He has done the politically correct thing to express regret publicly. Better late than never. 

Generally, anyone who holds Imran's job is automatically a controversial figure. Remember Prem Misir, Randolph Persaud and Kwame McCoy? It ent easy fo dem boys. The wuk get Imran bassidy.

Dave posted:

Come in Djanjo what’s your thought on this so call Government spokes person.

Harman and Volda wasn’t afraid to give their opinion. 

 

That banna dig up red ants nest and got bitten,care should be taken when mentioning East Indians.Anyway the red ants retreated to their nest.Imran Khan recovered from the pains and did the right thing by apologizing.

Demerara_Guy posted:

Utter nonsense by this individual on his actions.

DG. I cannot believe such STUPID and DUMB people live in Guyana!!!!!

Demerara_Guy posted:

Utter nonsense by this individual on his actions.

He is the present day Mckoy. 

Dave posted:

This is another so call Indian who marry a black and don’t see the benefit of Indians .

How does marrying black make you not see the benefit of Indians and what benefit is there to see?

De bai get excited to propaganda wuk. Funny how de man seeing that Kean Gibson jumbie behind everything Indos do...but dem is some serious secret racists in PNC...dey doan even know the difference between Diwali and Phagwah.