as it denounces political interference into investigations against Charrandas Persaud
In denouncing what it said was political interference by the APNU/AFC government into allegations of bribery against former Member of Parliament for the AFC, Charrandas Persaud, who’s conscience vote in the National Assembly saw the Government falling, the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) also revealed that “Special Branch ranks now have a permanent station outside of the party’s Freedom House, Robb Street headquarters.”
According to the Party in a statement, “In the circumstances, we call upon the law enforcement agencies and the joint services not to succumb to political dictates and directions, but to discharge their functions faithfully, professionally and with due regard to their oath of office.”
Moreover, the PPP said that it’s leadership and Members of Parliament (MPs) are the subject
of surveillance, both at their homes and, as they go about their business.
“This surveillance is being conducted by persons who are not uniformed and therefore,
we are not even sure whether they are being done by members of the law
enforcement agencies of the State.”
As such, among other things, the Party said it will “continue to call upon the Diplomatic and International Community to remain vigilant and to continue to monitor what is transpiring in Guyana at this crucial time.”
Wild allegation
As it pertains to the allegations that Persaud received a bribe for his vote in support of the No-Confidence Motion in the National Assembly on the 21st December 2018, the Party emphatically denounced the “political interference, which seems to permeate the alleged Police investigations into the Government’s wild allegation of bribery.”
According to the Party “We want to make it abundantly clear that if there is basis for an investigation, the PPP would welcome such an investigation, provided, that it is done professionally and not driven by politics or politicians, as we have nothing to fear and nothing to hide.”
However, Party cited the recent utterances by Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, in an interview aired on NCN, that the Prime Minister and every member of Cabinet is involved in the investigation as an example of political interference, leading the PPP to surmise that “There is no doubt, therefore, that the investigations allegedly being carried out, are heavily contaminated with and influenced by politicians and political influences.”
“We also note that the Department of Public Information (DPI) and certain Government affiliated news outfits operating online have been engaged in spreading misinformation and fabricating evidence of this alleged bribery, in order to incense and mislead supporters of the Government, thereby causing unnecessary strife and ill-will among large cross-section of our population” said the Party.
