Rohee challenges Granger on resources to Disciplined Services
THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has a clear track record of providing resources to the Disciplined Services, over the past years and remains committed to continuing in this regard, under the new government. PPP/C Executive member, Clement Rohee gave this undertaking while challenging statements made by A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Presidential Candidate, David Granger, which indicate that his party is confident that the Disciplined Services will vote for it.
According to Rohee, Granger made the assertion on the basis that the opposition party promises to provide “better pay, better conditions to make the country more secure, to give the Police Force aircraft so that they can make the country more secure”.
“What is the basis of this confidence that Mr. Granger exudes in respect to the Disciplined Services voting in favour of the APNU. He seems to be of the view that there is some automaticity in the Disciplined Services voting for APNU,” Rohee posited.
In light of that, the Minister of Home Affairs challenged the citizenry to compare APNU’s mere promises to the PPP/C’s track record, which has been highlighted in a letter, by PPP/C Presidential Candidate Donald Ramotar, published on page seven of today’s edition of the Chronicle.
Rohee continued: “I am pleased to see the letter by Mr. Ramotar, where he spelt out clearly the track record of[the] PPP in providing resources to the Disciplined Services over the years. We have to go on the basis of our track record and to ask the question whether we have delivered and I insist that the letter is a clear indication that the PPP/C Government delivered.”
Rohee acknowledged that there is room for improvement, a fact the PPP/C recognises and addresses in the 2011 Manifesto, pledging to “capitalise the military with specific attention to surveillance of our land, air and sea spaces and to promote greater public support and confidence in the Joint Services by paying more attention to rapid responses, confidentiality about sources of information and respect for human rights.
“When you examine it and compare them with mere promises made by Granger, it is clear that PPP/C comes out with flying colours, which will always be black, red and gold,” he boasted.
In addition, Rohee stated that Granger’s continued avoidance of  the issue of his involvement in the rigging of the 1973 elections is yet another “shameless” occurrence.
He explained that, though he may deny any such involvement, Granger had been in the upper “echelons” of the military,  walked the corridors of power for quite a long time and, as such, is unsuccessful in convincing anyone that he was not associated, in any way, with the rigging of elections in this country.
“I was very active in those days as a polling agent and a counting agent and I was at Queen’s College when the boxes were brought in by the military. I did not see Mr. Granger around but it does not mean that he wasn’t, you don’t have to be around physically, you could very well be the man behind the scenes,” Rohee explained.
He reiterated that Granger’s continued involvement with elections rigging, is another manifestation of the shamelessness that Guyanese are subjected to on a daily basis by the APNU and the Alliance for Change (AFC).
“To add insult to injury, he goes on to say that he is proud of what he did during that period, while he was in the Army. That sounds like ‘I will do it again if I get in there’. This is most regrettable,” Rohee said.