President Irfaan Ali’s call for leaders to foster unity among the people is not genuine, and the actions of his regime proves this, says People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Executive Member, Aubrey Norton. The former advisor to President David Granger made this assertion during a virtual press conference earlier today.
Asked what he thought about the president’s call, Norton responded: “Mr. Ali is what he is: he is one who is using words without meaning. How do you talk about unity when you are going after people who committed no crime? How do you talk about unity when you had the audacity and temerity to suggest that Afro-Guyanese were raping people on West Coast Berbice, when it was totally untrue? How do you talk about National Unity, when you are going to use political activists to exclude APNU+AFC supporters and use your supporters to distribute resources? How are you going to talk about National Unity, when on the one hand, you’re given resources to communities you perceive to support you, and none to those that you perceive not to support you?”
Norton added that while the President calls for unity, his government refuses to have main Parliamentary Opposition-nominated persons on State boards until the PPP/C administration is recognized by the APNU+AFC as a legitimate regime.
The President made the appeal for national unity at a ceremony to unveil a collection of commemorative centenary stamps on the 100th birth anniversary of former President Janet Jagan. The Head of State said unity rests entirely on the shoulders of leaders.
“We cannot lead without dignity. We cannot lead in a way that is disrespectful to the laws of our country. Today I ask all of Guyana, especially within our political landscape, to assume individually and collectively the role of achieving the unification of our people,” President Ali was quoted by the Department of Public Information (DPI).
