THE Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has dismissed what it deems “a malicious, wicked and utterly false” article relating to Cabinet portfolios, as published in Sunday’s edition of the Guyana Times.The contentious article in question blasted a screaming headline: “President ‘reconfigures’ Executive structure… Nagamootoo stripped of all ‘line responsibilities’… now reports to Min of Presidency Harmon”.

The Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed by staffers of Guyana Times that the approved article was written by an “ethnic hand”, who also writes the “dirty” column “Eyewitness”.
The author, leader of a political party which is now defunct, had on many past occasions been branded by the PPP as an “Indian racist”.
He was courted after he fell on hard times and the party saw his usefulness in the run up to the May 11, 2015 elections.

“He continues to be a heavy burden on the owner [of Guyana Times],” the source said.

The OPM, in a release, called on all Guyanese to be aware of the campaign being executed by the Ramroop Media Group against the coalition government, particularly its Indo-Guyanese members and specifically Prime Minister and First Vice President Moses Nagamootoo.

“Reeling from the abysmal failure of the PPP’s widespread call to supporters in North America to picket Prime Minister Nagamootoo on his current trip to New York, the Bharrat Jagdeo-facilitated Ramroop Media Group has resorted to its familiar tactic of manufacturing untruths and misinformation, attempting to pass (these) off as credible journalism.

“It must be remembered as well that the failed New York protest calls follow identical calls to picket Prime Minister Nagamootoo in Toronto last year, which also fell on deaf ears.

“This is vile, reprehensible, unprofessional, and against all journalistic ethics and codes. OPM calls on all Guyanese to forthrightly condemn this dastardly politically-directed campaign,” the Office of the Prime Minister has said.

OPM also calls on the Guyana Press Association (GPA) to take note of the trend of abuse of media for the purposes of political attacks, spreading misinformation, falsehoods, and exciting the populace.

STRATEGIC ATTACKS
The OMP said the latest attack by Guyana Times strategically follows the recent announcement that Prime Minister Nagamootoo’s portfolio has been expanded and includes Leader of Government Business in the National Assembly,
Public Information, Constitutional Reform, Governance, Supervising/coordinating functions with ministries involved with domestic affairs, and Cabinet co-chair.

Minister Raphael Trotman, who previously held the Governance portfolio, has formally handed over all matters relating to Governance to Prime Minister Nagamootoo. Transfer of Governance staff to OPM has also been completed.

The OPM said President David Granger was clear and deliberate in this presentation to Parliament:

“The Ministry of the Presidency has been reconfigured to combine the offices of the President, Vice-President and Prime Minister, and Ministers of State, Citizenship and Social Cohesion. This combination enhances governance and, especially through the Office of the Prime Minister, manages the Government’s business and legislative agenda in the National Assembly.”

This statement, the Office of the Prime Minister said, has been deliberately and mischievously misrepresented by Guyana Times for “the purposes of its abominable and odious misinformation scheme”.

“President Granger and Prime Minister Nagamootoo continue to work closely to move Guyana forward in the interest of achieving a better life for all Guyanese, the OPM has said.

“Despite persistent but failed attempts to weaken the Coalition Government, the Jagdeo/Rohee Opposition is evidently on a relentless campaign to spread and perpetuate confusion and mischief, while ignoring and disregarding the requirements for ethical practices in journalism.”

The OPM pointed out that the attack by the PPP is well orchestrated. It noted that
it was the Nagamootoo-piloted No Confidence Motion that was the precursor to the loss of power by Jagdeo/Ramotar regime. It is obvious, the OPM has said, that Prime Minister Nagamootoo’s No Confidence Motion has been accepted by the PPP as critical to its demitting office, and the Prime Minister is being targeted in the foulest of ways for an unrelenting assault on his character and portfolio.

RACIST OBSESSION
“This media onslaught bears the hallmarks of a racist obsession with denuding the powers and influence of the Prime Minister. In recent times, the politics of Opposition Leader Jagdeo has been personal and vindictive – the thrust being an attempt to demean Prime Minister Nagamootoo, purely as an act of spite and vengeance for tabling the fateful No Confidence Motion,” the OPM said.

It stressed that PPP Prime Minister Sam Hinds’s office was housed at Wight’s Lane in Kingston in a facility that was inadequate, congested, cramped, dusty, and cobwebbed and wholly unfit.
The OPM explained that this situation necessitated a move to more suitable accommodation for the Office of the Prime Minister following the historic May 11, 2015 elections.

“It is evident that the PPP is using its web of media influence and resources in attempting to divert attention from this embarrassing revelation with regard to how former Prime Minister Hinds was being shabbily and disrespectfully treated,” the release stated.

The official residence of the Prime Minister, it said, was in such a neglected state that repairs are still ongoing under the auspices of the National Trust, as the building is a heritage site.

Another source of discomfiture for the former PPP regime, the OPM said, is the falsehood published in the Guyana Times about Government seeking to acquire a fleet of high-priced luxury SUVs.

This story, like others, was debunked and exposed as fiction by the coalition government.

“It is now beyond doubt that the primary purpose of Guyana Times is to function purely as a PPP propaganda rag, in conjunction with TVG and other media appendages such as the recently acquired iNews website and other outfits owned and operated by Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, who, it is well known, shares a close personal relationship with Opposition Leader Jagdeo.

Citizen’s Report, the Internet news website, and the Freedom House-operated radio station also form part of this media cabal.

“OPM alerts the public to this, and advises citizens not to be taken in by the daily flood of opposition lies, falsehoods, mischief and untruths emanating from the Ramroop Media Group, which is operating with an unmistakable agenda that is politically directed,” the release concluded.