The Government of Guyana condemns in the strongest possible language the despicable act of a national newspaper to distort and manipulate a private conversation of a Government Minister, whose conversation was illegally recorded, and distorted, and broadcast.

We stand by the Attorney General, as the Government of Guyana goes out of its way to foster peace and goodwill. We believe in the integrity and professionalism of the Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Anil Nandlall, and stand by him.

The Government of Guyana cherishes freedom of the press, but when private media operatives use the power of the mass media to manipulate public opinion, our nation suffers from the negativity.

The Kaieteur News has sustained an intensive, vicious attack on members of the Government of Guyana, using its media power to distort even private conversations that it illegally records.

Today, to our utter consternation, the public listened to a voice recording and was shocked at what the nation heard. Broadcast on social media, the recording contains a distorted, manipulated conversation between a Minister and Leonard Gildarie, a reporter from the Kaieteur News.

It is abhorrent that someone would be so indecent and immoral to manipulate a loose private conversation, in such a dastardly way.

The Attorney General serves the people of Guyana as part of a Government that cares. We respect the ideals of integrity, professionalism and moral decency.

These vicious enemies of the Government of Guyana so distorted an illegal recording of the conversation. It is shocking to witness such disgusting behaviour, obviously aiming to manipulate public opinion.

We in the Government serve this country, fostering peaceful development, goodwill, and respectful relations. Every Guyanese could see this in how we harbour a free and fair national media landscape, where anyone could publish or broadcast their views and opinion. But we as a nation cannot condone this privilege being manipulated to distort and manipulate public opinion.

There are many ways for a keen listener to discern the said manipulation. For example, a listener to the manipulated conversation would easily recognise that on many instances the person’s voice at the other end of the conversation was inaudible.

Fortunately, the Government’s priorities will continue to be the further development of Guyana and our people. The Government will not be distracted from this agenda by Kaieteur News or anyone else."