Latest update June 19th, 2026 12:40 AM
Latest News
- ‘Govt. inaction puts Exxon and partners’ profits ahead of Guyana’ — Ram
- Exxon continues milking Guyana’s profits to explore for more oil
- ‘IsWe’ gets 25 years for murder of Shonette Dover
- Traffic flows through Hormuz as U.S.-Iran deal takes effect, questions remain
- Butcher dies, teen injured in Corentyne motorcycle smash up
PPP’s quality of governance reflected in Manickchand’s outburst – GTUC
Minister Priya Manickchand as she delivered her ‘feral’ blast during the US Ambassador’s reception.
Priya Manickchand’s recent outburst against US Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt, is yet another mark in the degenerating quality of governance the society has been witnessing from the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP).
This is the view of the Guyana Trades Union Congress.
The GTUC by way of a public missive yesterday said it “is encouraged by those who sought to distance themselves from the Government’s conduct.”
Minister Manickchand, while delivering remarks at the American independence celebrations last Wednesday night at the Ambassador’s residents had waded into the American Diplomat for his open and straightforward comments of the government’ apparent reluctance to hold Local Government Elections.
For her comments she was soundly heckled by the stunned audience.
And while the government through its chief spokesman Dr Roger Luncheon has defended Manickchand’s behaviour there have been criticisms from many quarters, including the two parliamentary opposition parties.
The GTUC is the latest group to publicly come out against Manickchand’s conduct.
The umbrella union body warned that in going forward, the people of Guyana are urged to resist the temptation to view the USA/Guyana experience as a one-shot incident requiring outrage “only to revert into apathy on holding the government accountable to act in the manner that holds proud the values, aspirations and institutions of this beautiful country and its people.”
“It is said a people get the government they deserve…Less this society forget the relationship with the PPP and USA has over the years been frosty, influenced by the PPP’s desire for political power and not necessarily the interest of the people and nation state.”
GTUC posited that the PPP still holds the USA in acrimony for what they think is the denial of their ‘right’ to govern for years, even as they sought the USA’s intervention to influence a change in the country’s electoral policy that saw their return to the seat of government.
“This nation must not be fooled or diverted by the PPP’s antics to create the environment of hostility with external partners to smokescreen their denying the citizens what’s rightly theirs.”
GTUC in its missive sought to remind that the Barack Obama administration has made it clear since 2009 that a major plank of its Foreign Policy would be guided by respect for human rights, the rule of law, and good-governance.
“It follows that Guyana’s continued diplomatic relations with the USA will accordingly be influenced and guided…As such it is not interference or a violation of this nation’s sovereignty when external partners call on us to commit to these shared principles.”
GTUC noted too that Guyanese are not being unpatriotic nor are violating Article 37 of the Constitution, as Dr. Roger Luncheon is inclined to have it believed.
Article 37 of the Constitution expressly states: “The State supports the legitimate aspirations of other peoples for freedom and independence and will establish relations with all states on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect, inviolability of frontiers, territorial integrity of states, peaceful settlement of disputes, non-intervention in internal affairs, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and cooperation among States.”
According to the GTUC, “the diplomatic community in their expressions of support with Guyanese for long overdue constitutional mandated Local Government Elections are partnering with the citizens to make real Article 37.”
GTUC is adamant that it remains the highest form of patriotism to stand up for the laws of the land and stand in alliance with those who share our dreams and aspirations.
“It is not the people’s fault for being on the right side of history; it is the government’s fault for disregarding the Supreme instrument of State.”
The GTUC also reiterated its concern over the cherry-picking of the Constitution by elected officials who have taken an oath to uphold it.
“The sovereignty of this nation as made known in our Law guarantees duly constituted Local Government Elections, the operationalisation of the Public Procurement Commission and Public Service Appellate Tribunal, a framework for good governance, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and working with liked minds in the realisation of these.”
According to the GTUC, government’s interest would be best served paying heed and acting in accordance.
Share this:
Discover more from Kaieteur News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.