MINISTER of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, has shut down a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) troll attack on Facebook regarding his conduct as minister as the typical “mud-slinging” behaviour of the opposition.

On Saturday, a Facebook page said that Trotman has three homes and has engaged bribes worth millions of United States dollars through the oil and gas and mining sectors.
Though describing the attempt as amusing, Minister Trotman on Sunday expressed his disappointment in the levels to which opposition trolls will go to peddle falsehoods to the Guyanese public.

In a release he stated: “A number of these posts are accompanied by photographs of properties purported to be mine and malicious propaganda aimed at smearing my character and casting doubt on the probity of my conduct as a minister of the Government of Guyana.

“It is a bit sad to see the depths to which the PPP and their cohorts have descended, and their willingness to peddle falsehoods to the Guyanese public. I live in one home, which was acquired through a mortgage. It does not have a swimming pool or tennis courts. In comparison to the homes of some former PPP ministers, it is, by all measures, a modest home.”

Trotman said that nonetheless, he expects that such social media attacks will continue and increase as the opposition seeks now to grasp on to the attention of their remaining support base.

Additionally, the Natural Resources Minister believes that it is also a tactic of the PPP to deflect attention from an examination of their record.
“What they are only now beginning to realise is that the Guyanese public was right here in Guyana when a chosen few went on their 23-year binge of corruption and enriching themselves. So they will not fool the Guyanese people with these distractions,” Trotman said.

“They have tried to cover up their actions, but now that these are being exposed, they are becoming increasingly agitated and have reverted right back to where they are most comfortable – mud-slinging. I call on all Guyanese not to fall prey to fake news and the PPP’s desperation.”