DEPUTY Speaker and leader of the Liberty and Justice Party, Lennox Shuman was on Thursday forced to remove a post containing false information on the salary increases announced by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh.

The post made on Shuman’s Facebook page alleged that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) during the 2020 elections campaign promised to increase salaries for public servants by 50 per cent, but has delivered only seven per cent across-the- board.

Immediately after Shuman’s post, several persons challenged the information he presented, severely criticising him for spreading misinformation.
Shuman subsequently removed the false information on his Facebook page.

Public Service Minister Sonia Parag dismissed the misinformation, which was repeated by leaders and supporters of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), as propaganda.

She pointed out that the PPP/C Government never promised a 50 per cent increase for public servants, but 50,000 house lots and 50,000 jobs to Guyanese.

The APNU+AFC, during its 2015 campaign, had reportedly promised public servants a 50 per cent salary increase, but failed to deliver. They were eventually booted from office for failing to deliver on this promise, among other reasons, but not after five months of hoping to regain power through fraudulent means.

Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall slammed Shuman for the irresponsible post.

“Knowing that his (Shuman) tenure as an MP [Member of Parliament] is coming to an end, he suddenly lays claim to some of the most spurious and disbelieving things.

“For example, his imagination manufactured a fable that this government promised a 50 per cent salary increase in 2021. That is not true. But, like a real grasshopper, he now jumps on the bandwagon of spreading fake news. And he walks around, puff-chested, making some of the most outrageous claims, including his leadership on indigenous issues,” Minister Dharamlall said.

Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy has described the misinformation from the APNU+AFC and Shuman as wicked and mischievous.