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…says make-up seen as Jagdeo’s rubberstamp
The APNU+AFC Coalition has criticised the new Irfaan-Ali-led Cabinet deeming it fraudulent and a rubberstamp of Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo.
“The naming of the various ministers, resulting from fraudulent elections, is in itself uninspiring and appears to be a hodge-podge of misfits and Jagdeo loyalists,” the APNU+AFC said in a statement shortly after the cabinet ministers took the oath of office. The coalition, which was defeated at the March2, 2020 polls said the nation can expect to be besieged by nothing but blind loyalty to the dictates of Jagdeo -from the President to the most junior minister. “The new Cabinet, illegitimate as it is will be nothing more than a rubberstamp of Jagdeo’s maniacal control freakism. This Cabinet is a creature of Jagdeo,” the release stated.
The coalition took note of the appointment of Robeson Benn Minister as Minister of Public Security, saying this is a sad day for citizen safety and security in Guyana. “The ordinary citizens would be justified in being engulfed in fear and trepidation as they go to bed tonight. It was Benn who barged into the National Communications Network and demanded that a local song be banned from the airwaves. This belligerent dictator is now being put in command of the security forces,” the APNUAFC charged.
Regarding Minister within the Office of the Prime minister, Kwame McCoy, the coalition said the PPP, in shame had hid him from public view for the last five years. “August 5, 2020 will be recorded as a day of infamy, shame and disgrace in Guyana’s national, governmental and parliamentary history.” The coalition said of new Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat that he lacks experience and competence and is a complete misfit at the ministry. “Mr. Bharrat does not even have the benefit of serving a full term as an opposition parliamentarian (he came in as a late replacement for Charles Ramson Jr) nor did he shadow the portfolio.”
Turning their attention to Ramson Jr, the coalition said he must consider Bharrat’s appointment to Natural Resources as a slap in his face as he (Ramson Jr) is the only member of the ‘Cabinet’ who holds qualifications in the oil and gas sector, yet he has been banished from this portfolio. “The appointments of Anand Persaud, Joe Hamilton and Nigel Dharamlall reek of gross incompetence and clearly demonstrates the dearth of quality leadership in the PPP.
“We take note too that several high ranking PPP executives and leaders have been sidelined or discarded. These include Clement Rohee, the former General Secretary; Indra Chandarpaul, head of the women’s arm of the PPP; Robert Persaud, a former Minister of Natural Resources; Shyam Nokta, Odinga Lumumba, Harry Gill, Jennifer Westford, Africo Selman and Dharamkumar Seeraj among others. It is further evident that the Jagan legacy in the PPP has been unceremoniously demolished and discarded.
Today, Guyanese have witnessed what the APNU+AFC has warned of – that the PPP has not, in any way changed. It remains a one man authoritarian cult and this has now been formalised with this fraudulent de facto Cabinet,” the statement ended.
President Ali in his remarks at the swearing-in ceremony said his appointments bring “youthful energy, experience and freshness,” noting that the group must be “results-oriented.” According to him, the government moved swiftly to the appointments because there is a lot of work to be done.
“The multi-faceted nature and skills that comprise the team is what Guyana needs to full aspirations to the people of the country,” as he noted the need for prompt movement to get the work of the government underway. “You have taken like I did, an oath to the people of this country and we expect nothing less but the fulfilment of that oath,” he stated.
