Granger politicking with security and citizens’ rights- Rohee

Apr 17, 2014 News

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) through its General Secretary Clement Rohee has taken offence over recent statements made by Leader of the Opposition David Granger that the country is faced with a public security crisis where “narco trafficking is the engine of growth that is driving the economy.”

General Secretary of the PPP Clement Rohee

In a recent press conference Rohee said his party stands fully behind President Donald Ramotar, who had previously said that Granger and the Opposition should apologize to the people of Guyana “for those outrageous statements which are an attack on all the hard working people of Guyana who by virtue of hard work and investment, have driven the economy forward.”
Rohee said that Granger’s statements are an attack on all those persons who are contributing legitimately to the collective “wealth of our nation.”
The PPP is of the view that Granger should provide evidence of those involved in narco-trafficking as well as the names of those whose ‘narco-money’ is being used to drive the Guyana economy. “It is clear to all that the Opposition Leader is using the issue of narco trafficking as a smokescreen to detract attention from the Budget which has attracted the attention of a broad cross section of the Guyanese people” said Rohee.
He cited from United Nations 2014 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) on Guyana which reads “As a matter of policy, the Government of Guyana does not encourage or facilitate the illicit production or distribution of narcotics or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drugs transactions.”
He also referred to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) report which states that “real economic activity expanded by 4.8 percent in 2012 on the back of broad based growth in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, construction and other services…the macroeconomic outlook is generally positive for 2013 and the medium term growth is projected at 4.8 in 2013 continuing the broad-based robust expansion in economic activity.”
According to Rohee, these “are strong and powerful statements emanating from reputable international bodies which speaks to the enormous strides the country has made both in terms of economic growth and in the fight against narco trafficking.”
The General Secretary said that Granger “is only playing politics with an issue of grave importance to the security and well-being of the citizens of this country who are getting increasingly tired of the antics and theatrical postures of the Opposition parties in Parliament.”
However, Granger has publicly stated that his utterances were misconstrued. He made it pellucid that he did not make the statements that President Ramotar attributed to him.

Leader of APNU
David Granger

“On Tuesday I said that ‘the Public security crisis will not correct itself. Narco-trafficking is the engine of growth that is driving this country’s high rates of money laundering, gun running, execution murders and armed robberies. Violent crime is scaring foreign investors, driving away the educated elite, undermining economic growth and impeding social development.”
The Opposition Leader said that he believes Ramotar was misinformed.
“I never accused businessmen of being narco-traffickers or that they are responsible for bringing crime into the country.”
Rohee has however, dismissed Granger’s explanation as “a backward step having been caught napping by the President’s statement… you say what you have to say and then when you are caught with your pants down he then seeks to retract it and makes a different statement all together. This was done with the sugar workers when they [APNU] said they will close down GuySuCo, so that seems to be a well established trait on the part of the administration.”