‘We are prepared to go through fact based analysis of the state of our people before and after 1992’ – Jagdeo
THERE is justification of the concerns and objections raised by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C). The declaration was made by Former President and Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, today at a Public Forum.
From the start of his presentation, he said the criticisms of having a national conversation about the current state of affairs, which will come from Government quarters, cannot hide the fact that there are real cases of injustices being meted out to the Guyanese people.
“Are we being unreasonable?” he asked, receiving a resounding no. Jagdeo added, “If the answer is no, then the fault is ours, in that until today we have not had this kind of conversation at the national level.”
The Opposition Leader made clear that after 23 years of nation building, all Guyanese people are better off.
“Why is there a receptive ear (for the injustices to be justified)…in spite of all of this (evidence)?” he said, raising another question. Jagdeo surmised that the successes of the PPP/C have not been spoken about.
He added that the “demagogues” are using one argument – discrimination that happened under the former PPP/C – to justify “correction” and propagate fallacies in defense of Government’s actions.
“We are prepared to go through a fact based analysis of the state of Afro-Guyanese before 1992 and their state today…..the evidence will show they, like all our people are better off under a PPP/C government,” Jagdeo declared.
In a third question, he asked, “Is it not racist to assume all Afro-Guyanese voted for APNU+AFC?” And on that note, Jagdeo dealt with the issue of political discrimination being evidenced.
“The litmus test of politics will determine if you are employed,” he said, referring to the almost 2,000 young Amerindians because they were perceived to be supporters of the PPP/C.
Making clear that there is full support for the military, which became a professional body under the PPP/C, Jagdeo stated that there is opposition the militarization of the state – the handpicking of ex-military personnel heading various state institutions.
All considered, the Opposition Leader made clear that “no amount of” criticisms will silence PPP/C. “Our record of struggle is too long…the can label us with the hope that the labels will keep up quite,” he said.
His comments were made at today’s Public Forum’ on ‘Discrimination, Victimization, Witch-hunting and Intimidation’.
Guyana is losing its label as ‘constitutional democracy’ under APNU+AFC – Nandlall
Witch-hunting is becoming institutionalized, according to People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP), Anil Nandlall.
His comment was put into context during a ‘Public Forum’ on ‘Discrimination, Victimization, Witch-hunting and Intimidation’ held today, where he traced the “natural evolution” of a dictatorship.
“The pressure is building on them and they are losing credibility in the process. Hence they have embarked on a course of activities…..they are moving away from Constitutional agencies….they are using those organisations to achieve a preconceived objective,” he said.
Drawing a parallel between countries, the English-speaking Caribbean, which are often described by Constitutional theorists as ‘constitutional democracies’, Nandlall charged that Guyana is none of these.
He explained this is seen in the fact that several organizations, separated from Executive influence, are being undermined.
As such, Nandlall charged that Coalition Government, over the last year, has embarked upon a deliberate and centrally orchestrated course of action to persecute and which-hunt ministers and officials of the PPP/C administration in order to prove that their widespread public allegations of corruption.
However, the PPP/C MP noted that the Coalition Government needs the blind loyalty of the constitutional institutions in order to succeed. “Thus far, apparently, they have been unable to penetrate the cloak of independence which the aforesaid institutions enjoy,” he said.
Nandlall added, “In consequence, we are witnessing a clear and consistent strategy to avoid the engagement of these institutions as they continue to pursue their vindictive agenda.”
He explained, “Not satisfied with the Auditor General’s Reports over the last several years, the regime, in violation of the Constitution and the Audit Act, simply shoved aside the Audit Office, handpicked over a dozen auditors, most of them being their allies and cronies and are paying them hundreds of millions of dollars to do “forensic audits”. Still, these audits are unable to unearth the type of evidence which they seek, although, the most unconventional methods are being employed by some of these Auditors.
“Dozens of files have been sent to the Police Force and to the Director of Public Prosecutions with firm instructions to investigate and charge. Again, the response from the Police and the DPP has been disappointing to those who have already sharpened their political hatchets. The situation is exacerbated by every passing day because it results in considerable damage to their credibility. After all, they have intoxicated their supporters with the propaganda that the PPP administration is guilty of massive corruption in office but after one year in complete control of the government and State machinery, they are unable to prefer charges.
“Not being able to exert the type of pressure and influence over the Police Force and the DPP as they would like, because of the constitutional and institutional insulations to which I have referred above, greater reliance is now being placed upon SARU and SOCU, two organizations that are politically staffed and directed to conduct investigations with the hope that they can find or I dare say, manufacture the required evidence. Still yet the desired results are not forthcoming.”
According to him, in the meanwhile, the crescendo of frustration and desperation continues to build. “As a result, laws and protocols are being drafted to strengthen and enlarge the powers of SARU and SOCU. Recently, there has been an expressed intention to establish “a Special Prosecutors’ Office”. The obvious objective is to circumvent the DPP or at least to emasculate that office of the autonomy and independence guaranteed to it by the Constitution. I have no doubt that we will soon hear about the establishment of “Special Courts” where these charges will be heard and determined,” he said.
Nandlall underscored the fact that the Government is handpicking its own auditors and directing them who, what, how and where to audit; when these audit reports are completed, they are then sent to two political outfits masquerading as law enforcement agencies, SARU and SOCU, which are being directed who and what to investigate; and when these investigations are concluded, the findings will be sent to a Special Prosecutors Office for legal advice. “This will be an office that will be staffed by the Government with its cronies. Charges will be instituted and will be prosecuted by persons from this politically tainted unit. These charges will be heard and determined by the “Special Courts” which I anticipate will be established and which will be presided over by magistrates in whom the Government resides great confidence. That the decisions will be perverse, I am in no doubt,” he said.
The PPP/C MP added, “In conclusion, the Constitution and the rule of law are under siege. Authoritarianism is building a formidable foundation. Today, the target is the PPP’s leadership and its supporters.”
