Ruling party accuses Opposition of lending support to criminals

Jun 17, 2013 News

The ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) is deeply concerned over the Opposition’s rejection in the National Assembly, of three Bills of vital importance to the security sector of the country.
According to the party, “it is an undisputed fact that crime and security are matters of national importance and affect all of our people, right across the political divide.”
The PPP/C said, in light of this, political leaders are expected to treat these matters with the importance that they deserve and indeed, should never use the issues of such exceptional importance to “play their game of political football.”
The rejected Bills, along with the Firearms (Amendment) Bill, that had been voted down by the Opposition earlier this year, “constitute a menu of measures designed to correct certain identified deficiencies in the law as we continue our efforts to improve our ability as a nation, to wage war against criminal and criminal activities.”
The party said the Bills were devoid of any political content whatsoever.
“Their content and purpose were only to target criminals…Yet the opposition rejected them.”
The party laments further that Guyanese, including opposition supporters, were not even afforded the courtesy of a single reason or any explanation whatsoever for the rejection.
The party speculates that the Bills were rejected because they were presented by Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee.
“So regardless of how important a Bill may be to the lives of the people of Guyana, the Opposition will reject it because it is presented by Minister Clement Rohee.”
The party said that this approach is not only devoid of common sense but it is demonstrative of the extent to which the Opposition will descend, “as they continue to play childish political games with issues that affect the life and physical safety of our citizens.”
In seeking to address the opposition’s stance on Rohee, the party recalled that after the unfortunate incident at Linden last year, “the Opposition made certain irrational and wild statements suggesting that they had evidence implicating Minister Rohee in that incident.”
A Commission of Inquiry was established utilizing in excess of $120M. “Their leaders appeared as lawyers at this Commission…They called witnesses to testify at the Commission both locally and from overseas.”
The party said that Minister Rohee did not hide but took the stand and was cross-examined. “They were unable to adduce a scintilla of evidence implicating him in any wrongdoing…Indeed the Commissioners, three of whom were from the Caribbean, exonerated Minister Rohee absolutely in their final report.”
The party drew reference to the fact also that even while the Commission was still ongoing, the opposition moved a motion in the National Assembly and declared no-confidence in Minister Rohee.
“We advised them that the Constitution did not permit such a motion to be moved or passed…They nevertheless, stubbornly, moved and passed that motion.” The party pointed also to the fact that the opposition had also moved a motion to gag Minister Rohee from speaking in the National Assembly.
“Again, they were advised of the unconstitutionality of the motion…Again, they did not heed the advice and they stubbornly moved and passed this motion.”
This gag order was challenged in the Court which subsequently ruled that the opposition had no right and power to gag an elected member from speaking in the National Assembly.
The PPP/C speculates that another reason that can be deduced for the opposition’s action in rejecting the bills “may be a deliberate design to lend support to criminals.”
It said that the Opposition’s “historical association with criminal elements is well documented…Their persistent attacks on effective agencies within the Police Force, for example, the Black Clothes Unit, are well known…Maybe, this is another component of their support for criminals.”
The PPP/C suggests also that the opposition Parties dependence on criminal elements in their demonstrations and protests is well known.
“We say very clearly, that in the war against crime, there are only two sides…You either stand on the side of the law and law abiding citizens, or you stand on the side of the criminals…The Opposition seems to have chosen their side – the side of the criminals.”

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Ruling party accuses Opposition of lending support to criminals

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