THE Opposition has a right to comment on issues, and even use them as political footballs, but the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will maintain its right to respond to such matters, particularly when it involves members of its leadership.

This was the position taken yesterday by Party General Secretary, Mr Clement Rohee, who contends that the alleged recording of comments purported to have been made by President Donald Ramotar while visiting Aishalton, in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) could very well be a “set-up”.
The recording was allegedly made during a meeting the President held with Aishalton residents, when he was rudely interrupted by a local teacher, who later claimed he was physically assaulted by Presidential Guards for taking such liberties.
“The PPP would not be surprised if the Aishalton incident turns out to be a set-up by a certain Parliamentary Political Party. Only recently, a member of this particular Party made an outrageous claim to the effect that the PPP wanted to buy off certain Parliamentarians,” he said yesterday during the Party’s weekly press conference held at Freedom House, Robb Street.
He gave as one of the reasons the Party would not be surprised by this the latest gimmick of the Opposition is that they are out “to embarass the government and securegain political mileage” by any means necessary.
“It comes as no surprise to the PPP that the Political Opposition and the Opposition media have played up and over-played the anti-Ramotar and anti-PPP sentiments,” he said, adding:
“Clearly, their objective is to practice divide-and-rule politics over our Amerindian people, an old but horrible and destructive Colonial policy of the past.”

SOLID TRACK RECORD
But, he said, the Ruling Party’s track record where respect and inclusion of Guyana’s Amerindians is concerned is impeccable.
“The PPP has a proud record of working to ensure that our Amerindian brothers and sisters benefit from accelerated development. This has developed to the point where ,today, the PPP stands out as the Party with the largest and fastest growing Amerindian support,” he said, adding: .
“The Party has repeatedly demonstrated its vision, leadership and upliftment of all of our people. Under the PPP/C government, Amerindian development has advanced by leaps and bounds. In all areas of Amerindian life, Guyanese can bear witness to the actions and results of the PPP/C developmental programmes for our Amerindian brothers and sisters. In education, health, village development, Amerindian inclusion in policy development and implementation… the PPP/C administrations are exemplary.”
Noting that the PPP views comments on the alleged matter as nothing but an attempt to “sow discord, division and mischief among” Guyana’s Amerindian Peoples, he gave every assurance that the PPP remains committed to Amerindians in Guyana.
“These successes for our Amerindian Peoples under the PPP/C Administration,” he said, “are in stark contrast to the lives they lived under the PNC, when Amerindians were scorned upon, and made mere pawns in the politics of the PNC. Even today, the PNC, joining with the AFC, voted to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from the Amerindian Development Fund, and also cut hundreds of millions of dollars from building air and road infrastructure that were allocated for the accelerated development of Amerindian communities.”
Additionally, when the matter of the alleged recording first surfaced, questions of political motives were also brought to the fore, giving the timing of the alleged recording’s release, some three weeks after the local teacher made his claims.

extracted from the Guyana Chronicle