–President Ali condemns Hamilton Green’s reckless statements
–AG calls on ERC to investigate discriminatory statements

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali, has strongly condemned reckless statements made by People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) stalwart and former Prime Minister Hamilton Green, reaffirming his commitment to unity and democracy, against a backdrop of irresponsible remarks from the opposition elder.

In a fervent response to Green’s remarks, President Ali outlined the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration’s efforts to bridge historical divides and highlight the importance of an inclusive society.

He called for the eradication of divisive politics, reflecting on the challenges faced by Guyana in the 1950s when external forces exploited the ethnic division under the People’s National Congress (PNC) regime.

“We are working tremendously hard, committed to building a Guyana, One Guyana, a Guyana that, you know, we had the historical challenge, and the early 50s when our people were divided by external forces and external powers for their own selfish reason,” he said during an engagement with the Guyanese Diaspora in Saint Lucia, on Wednesday.

Dr Ali expressed his administration’s dedication to mending these historical rifts.
Hamilton Green, a significant figure due to his past as the General Secretary of the PNC, made headlines following the LFS Burnham Foundation’s Annual Commemorative Symposium, organised to mark the 101st birth anniversary of former PNC leader Linden Forbes Burnham.

He had implied that election rigging was a legitimate strategy to get back into power.
Green’s statements: “…if they say he rigged elections, I say we should keep rigging to save us from these devils, these bastards, these demons that we have,” have ignited a firestorm of criticism and concern over the APNU party.

Against this backdrop, President Ali’s address becomes even more pertinent: “We are working tremendously hard, committed to building a Guyana, one Guyana,” the President declared, setting a tone of reconciliation and collective progress.

“So, we have to come off of this narrow, small-minded game, and it’s a game. It’s a game because those who use it to play for their interests. They play it for your own desire and it’s a game that has to be stamped out,” Ali said as he refuted the divisive tactics.

President Ali also took the opportunity to underscore the professionalism and diversity within the country’s key institutions, a direct counterpoint to Green’s implications.

“We have a military, a police force with more than 90 per cent Afro Guyanese, but I know that they turn out every day as professionals working for the interests of our people,” President Ali asserted, highlighting the integrity and dedication within Guyana’s security forces, in stark contrast to the electoral manipulation suggested by Green.

“How can you say that in a modern society? That has no place in modern society. You damage the structure of the society,” the President said as he highlighted the painstaking journey towards restoring credibility following the 2020 elections.

Several officials including APNU members, are currently charged and before the court for the alleged inflating of results for Region Four, the country’s largest voting district, to give the APNU+AFC coalition a majority win at the polls when, in fact, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had won by 15,000 votes during the 2020 elections.

Following the elections, Head of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Elections Observer Mission (EOM) to Guyana, former Prime Minister (PM) of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, had said that “the pernicious actions of a few have wreaked considerable damage to Guyana’s image and reputation.”

The PPP/C government entered office in damage-control mode to rebuild Guyana’s international image which was tainted by the APNU+AFC administration.

“The greatest damage was done to the country because we had to walk through every single country to bring back the credibility of the country, to convince people that we are a free, democratic society where the rule of law applies,” the President said.

President Ali not only highlighted Guyana’s achievements on the global stage, but also issued a call to unity and open-mindedness, challenging the divisive narrative posited by Green.

“I am saying to you all today to be open-minded,” he urged, promoting a vision of a cohesive, forward-moving Guyana, firmly distancing his administration from the shadows of past electoral malpractices and divisive rhetoric.

Meanwhile, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall S.C., characterised Green’s statement as an attack on democracy, the rule of law, and the very soul of Guyana’s constitution.

“This is also a racist attack against every other ethnic group in this country. Our constitution protects every Guyanese from discrimination, our constitution guarantees equal treatment to every single person in this country,” Nandlall stated, highlighting the gravity of Green’s remarks.

He criticised the lack of condemnation from the APNU+AFC coalition regarding Green’s statements, suggesting their silence could be seen as tacit approval.

Nandlall urged the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) to investigate Green’s remarks, framing them as an incitement of racial discord and a stark departure from democratic norms.