PPP, PNCR in war of words over nation’s security

Feb 26, 2014 News

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– Recent meeting between main opposition, GDF top brass sparks controversy

By Dale Andrews
Guyana’s two major political parties are once again trading verbal blows over their perception of the nation’s security.
But this time around, instead of the Police Force being at the centre of the controversy, it is the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), with the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) accusing the Leader of the People’s National Congress

Reform (PNCR), Brigadier (ret’d) David Granger, of attempting to use a backdoor strategy to preempt and influence the budgetary allocations to the army.
But minutes later, the PNCR responded with a statement accusing the PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee, who also holds political responsibility for the nation’s security as the Minister of Home Affairs, of making slanderous and libelous remarks.
The verbal battle stems from the outcome of a recent meeting between a team from the PNCR, led by Granger, a retired Brigadier, and a contingent from the Guyana Defence Force headed by Chief of Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips at army headquarters, Camp Ayanganna.
Reading from a prepared statement during a media conference yesterday at the PPP headquarters, Freedom House on Robb Street, Rohee said that his party had noted with disgust the recent pronouncements of Opposition Leader David Granger.
Rohee pointed out to the media that Granger, following a meeting with the GDF Chief of Staff and other senior military officials had “made statements that are in stark contrast with APNU’s refusal to engage Government on consultations on the 2014 Budget Estimates.”
The PNC had announced its support for budgetary allocations to the army to help in the fight against the trade in illegal drugs.
However, according to Rohee, “It boggles the mind that Mr. Granger would seek an audience with senior army personnel, ostensibly out of national security concerns, when the parliamentary opposition of which he is Leader is doing everything possible to undermine the efforts of the PPP/C administration to put measures in place, at the legislative and administrative levels, to protect the integrity of the country, more particularly the citizens of Guyana.”
“One is left to wonder whether it is the same David Granger whose Party was highly critical of the GDF on a range of issues including the unwarranted and unsubstantiated attacks on the role of the army in the Lindo Creek Massacre and alleged links to criminal elements which resulted in the massacres at Lusignan and Bartica.”

Rohee said that Granger’s utterances are all the more intriguing, if not hollow, given APNU’s consistent attacks against the Joint Services.
In response, the PNCR strongly condemned Rohee’s statements, describing as a total fabrication the suggestion that the coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), of which the PNCR is the major partner, has “constantly” attacked the Joint Services.
“What is true is our criticism of and lack of confidence in Clement James Rohee and his total incompetence and willful neglect of the Security Sector of this nation,” the PNCR lashed back.
The verbal battle did not end there, with the PPP delving into the past, accusing Granger of being part of the military which was responsible for the murder of two citizens, during attempts to seize ballot boxes more than four decades ago.
“It is also expected that in his conversation with the Chief of Staff he would have explained his own role along with that of his parliamentary colleague Joseph Harmon in providing intelligence to the PNC to oppress and suppress the political opposition during the dark days of the Burnham- Hoyte era,” the PPP General Secretary added.
Rohee stated that it is to be noted that Granger had in his APNU delegation “a former Commissioner of Police, who is known to have undermined the country’s national security interest by his close relationship with a known drug trafficker and his attempts to conspire with a known Attorney at Law to place drugs in the suitcase of an out-going passenger at Cheddi Jagan International Airport”.
These utterances regarding Opposition Leader and PNCR Leader Brigadier David Granger’s involvement in highjacking ballot boxes and the death of two Guyanese during the 1973 General Elections, were brushed aside by the main opposition party as an outright lie.
In November 2011, Brigadier Granger had categorically stated; “I was not the commander of the Guyana Defence Force (in 1973). I was not at the scene of any shooting. I never shot anyone.”
The PNCR pointed to a Commission of Inquiry coordinated by the Honourable Justice Dhanessar Jhappan that looked into the shooting at Number 64 village during the 1973 General Elections.

“The PNCR sees this type of gutter politics by the PPP as an attempt to divert the attention of the people of Guyana from the party’s incompetence and lack of vision for this nation and the plight and struggles of the average working men and women of this nation. The PNCR calls attention to the fact that while Rohee peddles his disinformation and propaganda, the vital Security Sector which is his remit cries out for competent leadership,” the party stated.
According to the PNCR, under Rohee’s watch, Guyana has digressed to a haven for narco-traffickers and gunrunners and all forms of criminality.
“There is one armed robbery every twelve hours in Guyana. Under Rohee and the PPP administration the Italian and Mexican Mafia have transformed Guyana into a transshipment point for narcotics shipments to North America, Europe and Africa. There were 154 murders in 2013 an 11% increase; most of these murders remain unsolved; there was a 7% increase in serious crimes (armed robberies, rape, kidnapping, burglary etc.); guns and drugs freely cross our borders, yet Clement Rohee says that there is no Security Crisis in Guyana, and seemingly has enough time to conduct a campaign of lies and disinformation against the leadership of APNU.”
The PNCR said that the party as well as the people of Guyana will not be fooled and distracted by the shenanigans of the PPP.
“It is clear to all, and Rohee’s antics today prove beyond a doubt that there is a crisis of leadership in the Peoples Progressive Party.”

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