says Robert Badal is ‘driven by political and selfish desires’ ACTING Tourism Minister, Irfaan Ali has refuted certain assertions and accusations made in a section of the media recently by Pegasus Hotel owner, Robert Badal, that his business is being sidelined from tourism-related activities, as “baseless and wicked” and driven by Badal’s “political and selfish desires”.

Minister Irfaan Ali

Badal, in an article that appeared in yesterday’s edition of the privately owned Kaieteur News is claiming that he is being sidelined from tourism-related activities by Ali, who is the acting Tourism Minister. Badal said that the Pegasus Hotel was excluded from a delegation to this week’s Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Caribbean Week event in New York. The businessman is also calling on  President Donald Ramotar to sanction Minister Ali and remove him from the Tourism Ministry. In response to this, Minister Ali has noted that he has found Mr. Badal’s assertion and accusation to be “baseless and wicked” and “driven by political and selfish desires”.

Mr. Robert Badal

“The accusations that somehow the Government facilitated the Princess (hotel) participation in the Caribbean Tourism Week event is a total distortion. Let me make it clear that this is a CTO event and registration to attend was open to any tourism related company. Princess hotel registered for this event, on their own, and paid their expenses to allow their participation. Further, in 2011,  whist the government did not participate it was Princess that solely attended and promoted Guyana,” the minister said. He also alluded to the fact that the government cannot, in any way, dictate where people should stay. This decision, he said, is based on service, quality, professionalism, ethics, standards and the customer choice. Continuing, Minister Ali reiterated that he has never directed any business away from Mr. Badal’s establishment. He said, “These lies from Mr. Badal can only be described as mischievous and dangerous. What I can say is that all official functions related to the STC conference in Guyana was held at the International Conference Center (ICC), a government managed facility. From the opening ceremony to the official country dinner, these events were hosted by the ICC.” In this regard, Ali maintained that since taking the oath of office, he has been aware of his responsibilities, and has worked “feverishly” in collaboration with the Tourism

Badal is a LIAR. This is the kind of People Guyana has, selfish, lying, ignorant. The Govt MUST respond to their LIES in a timely manner. This man has NO SHAME!!!