Nigel Dharamlall, the Permanent Secretary of the Amerindian Affairs Minis-try who was recorded threatening to bar access to his office and withhold stipends from Amerindian leaders during a meeting with some indigenous leaders and youths should apologise or even be fired.

“A public officer cannot be threatening elected officials as toshaos are, or any other member of Guyanese society to threaten them, to take any action against them if they were to take a certain step,” spokesman for the main opposition APNU Joe Harmon told reporters on Saturday.

“That’s more than a threat and that is highly irregular for a public official to be making statements like that. He should be fired,” he declared.

Dharamlall has denied issuing threats and said that his statements were taken out of context. Just hours before protest action outside the Public Buildings two weeks ago against the slashing of the $1.1 billion Amerindian Develop-ment Fund, Amer-indians from across the country were called to a meeting at the Guyana Inter-national Conference Centre, Liliendaal, to discuss the 2014 budget. Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai and Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh were present at that meeting.

It was there that Dharamlall was recorded saying that he would not allow any Toshao or senior councillor who presented to vote for any party other than the PPP.