….complain about “executive lawlessness, political persecution” under the administration during meeting with US Ambassador
Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon and Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, met on Wednesday with US Ambassador, Sarah- Ann Lynch to present the message that the PPP/C Government should not be allowed to “ostracize a large section of the Guyanese population” with US support.
The meeting took place at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and was also attended by Deputy Chief of Missions, Mark Cullinane. The main topics discussed were matters relating to governance, parliamentary democracy and national security.
Reports received by the Village Voice News are that several Members of Parliament (MPs) and other high-ranking party officials were against the meeting.
This is even as the Opposition has been very critical of Lynch in the past based on her involvement in the March 2020 General and Regional Elections. During the period, Lynch had communicated that top Opposition officials and their families would receive US visa sanctions for “undermining democracy.”
Despite these past tensions, the meeting between Lynch, Cullinane and the Opposition leaders was cordial. Harmon once again congratulated the Biden administration and acknowledged Ambassador Lynch as a representative of that Administration.
They also discussed the alleged discriminatory practices of the PPP/C regime, the arbitrary firing of public servants, alleged discriminatory practices in the distribution of the COVID-19 cash grants, alleged politically motivated charges and arbitrary arrests of persons perceived to be coalition supporters and other issues.
A release from the Opposition party stated: “The Leader of the Opposition shared the Coalition’s views and observations on these issues, and how they broadly affect the Guyanese people, and specifically the impact and effect on supporters of the APNU+AFC…it was reiterated that a spirit of consensus and collaboration is necessary and this means putting the good of the country first is paramount. There should be an effort to engage in meaningful dialogue to ensure that the PPP regime does not govern in a manner ostracizing a large section of the population with the support of the US.”
Harmon also put forward that the Opposition, like the Government, should be informed about any major changes on US Policy decisions on Guyana. He requested that Opposition views are communicated to Washington on a regular basis.
At the meeting, a copy of the summary report on the PPP regime’s “executive lawlessness, political persecution and ethnicization for the period August 2 to December 25, 2020” was presented to the Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Missions.
