PPP calls out Nagamootoo on ‘Guyanese’ statements

Apr 03, 2015 News

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has called out the recently formed coalition, A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC)’s Prime Ministerial Candidate, Moses Nagamootoo on pronouncements that he is, above all, Guyanese.
During a press briefing held by the party at Freedom House yesterday, PPP/C Executive and Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said since Nagamootoo “denies” being Indian, he should do the “decent thing” and return the award he received in 2008 from the Global Organisation of the People of Indian Origin (GOPIO).
Recently at public forums, Nagamootoo stated that despite his race, he is above all else a Guyanese, a statement that has come in for criticism, mainly from the ruling party.
As he co-hosted the press conference yesterday, Dr. Ramsammy pointed out that Nagamootoo would have been presented with the award which is generally given to “People of Indian Origin” recognised for their work among the Diaspora.
Stating that he is a proud Indo-Guyanese citizen, Ramsammy said that neither he, the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Elisabeth Harper, PPP/C Executive and Human Services Minister, Jennifer Webster, or any of the PPP’s members “disavow” their origins.
He told reporters “We know who we are. We know we are good Guyanese citizens, but we know our origins and we don’t disavow them.” Ramsammy made it pellucid that the members of the PPP are “proud” of their ancestry.
“I note that Mr. Nagamootoo now disavows his Indo-Guyanese origins and he is now just a Guyanese, and that’s his view, but he did accept an award as an Indo-Guyanese from the Global Organisation of the People of Indian Origin,” Ramsammy said.
Asked by a Kaieteur News reporter why it is such a big issue for the PPP that Nagamootoo identified himself as a Guyanese, Ramsammy responded, “It is simple. We don’t have a problem with Nagamootoo identifying himself as a Guyanese. I do too… all of us. We are all Guyanese, but Mr. Nagamootoo made it an issue that ‘I am not an Indo-Guyanese,’ that he was born in Guyana.”
To push his point, Ramsammy pointed to the speech Nagamootoo presented upon receipt of the award. “You can’t disavow our heritage,” the PPP Executive emphasised.
Ramsammy added “One of Guyana’s great assets is our diversity and we should acknowledge that and we should promote it. It’s not me. Mr. Nagamootoo goes out there and says I am not an Indo-Guyanese, I am a Guyanese. It’s not me, I’m not making it an issue; he made it an issue.”
The PPP Executive claimed that many are asking the question if it is wrong for citizens to acknowledge their origins and heritage. Ramsammy insisted that it is not.
Guyana is known for its citizens voting along racial lines and local politicians are constantly accused of race-baiting constituents.

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PPP calls out Nagamootoo on ‘Guyanese’ statements

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