THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) stands ready to defend hardworking professionals and those who hold public offices in the discharge of their professional duties.

These were the sentiments of the ruling party’s General Secretary, Clement Rohee, who made it clear that the “unwarranted and unsubstantiated” attacks on the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, should not be condoned.

Rohee’s comments follow much criticism directed at the DPP since her recommendation that no charges be filed against Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, in the controversial private conversation between him and a senior Kaieteur News reporter.
The 19-minute recording of the conversation on October 25 last, between the Attorney-General and Kaieteur News’ Leonard Gildharie, a former schoolmate of the Attorney-General’s, was released days after it was made. The release was done by publisher of the Kaieteur News, Mr Mohan Lall, also known as Glenn Lall. He subsequently made a report to Deputy Police Commissioner, Mr. Balram Persaud, premised on the contention that the contents of the recording indicated that his life, the lives of his family and staff members, were under threat.
According to Rohee, the DPP’s Chambers and other Government officials’“only crime” have been to uphold the integrity of their offices and their professionalism.
“The PPP calls on the Opposition parties and other fringe elements to desist from making statements that are designed to attack the professionalism and integrity of public officers,” he said.
NOT POLITICALLY ALIGNED
The PPP General Secretary noted the “attacks” against the DPP are disappointing, but not surprising, since it would seem that the only acceptable positions of certain public officials are ones that are aligned to the political Opposition.
He said, “(We are not) surprised by the position adopted by the Opposition parties, the APNU (A Partnership for National Unity) and the AFC (Alliance For Change), on the advice offered by the DPP on the allegations made by the learned Attorney General Mr. Anil Nandlall against the publisher of Kaieteur News.
“It seems that for the political Opposition, the only correct and acceptable advice that could be offered by the DPP is one that puts the AG and by extension the PPP/C administration in a bad light even though the DPP took pains to clarify the reasons for arriving at her decision on the matter.”
To that end, Rohee stated that the ruling party fully supports the DPP on the advice she offered, which is consistent with the views of a significant body of public opinion, to the effect that the allegations against the AG were politically motivated and designed to denigrate the AG and the office he holds.
“The attacks on the DPP’s Chambers are yet another attempt to subvert the justice system whenever decisions taken do not find favour with the highly biased and entrenched positions of Opposition elements,” the PPP General Secretary concluded.