DESCRIBING the move as malicious and wicked, the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP) has rejected the publishing of false articles pertaining to President David Granger aimed at besmirching the character and reputation of the head of state and the government and its representatives. The articles have appeared on various social media platforms.

In a missive on Wednesday, the MoTP said it has taken note of a Facebook Page established under the name, ‘Brigadier David Granger’, which is reporting that the President has intervened in a recent matter involving the Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall and a young woman of the same community. The site also purports to quote the President from a recent interview conducted.

“The Ministry of the Presidency would like to categorically state that no such interview was conducted with or any such remarks made by the President. The ministry, in the strongest possible terms therefore, condemns and rejects these articles as a wicked falsification,” the MoTP stated.

It is now calling on all Guyanese, particularly the media corps, to be aware of the campaign being executed. Citizens are being advised not to be taken in by the “daily inundation of untruths, mischief and falsehoods,” which are being published on the various social media platforms.

“While the Government of Guyana respects the fundamental right of its citizens to freedom of speech, as well as press freedom, it condemns, in the strongest possible way, any impeachments. The publishing of untruths, propaganda and misleading information should not be considered a joke or a prank. It is a serious act designed to mislead, create panic and division among the citizens,” the ministry stated.

It said the spreading of fake news appears to be an ongoing global problem as social media giant, Facebook, in 2016, moved to initiate systems to ensure that fake news pages are carefully monitored on its platform. “The Ministry of the Presidency, once again, calls on the members of the public not to be duped by the misinformation, falsehoods and distortions consistently published by these sites,” it reiterated.