MINISTER within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Information, Kwame McCoy, on Sunday condemned Opposition’s reckless defence of illegal electricity connections, saying that the stance go against against responsible leadership.
In a statement, the minister warned that opposition leaders must refrain from encouraging illegally.
The following is the full text of the statement issued by Minister Kwame McCoy on Sunday:
“The Opposition’s defence of illegal electricity connections is reckless, dangerous and wholly unfit for responsible leadership.
More than 55 illegal connections were recently removed along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, many of which are persons squatting on the private estate of Dr Charles.
These connections overload the network, damage transformers and other critical infrastructure, disrupt service and expose families and the wider community to electrocution and electrical fires.
A lawful process exists for accessing electricity through Guyana Power and Light (GPl) and political leaders have a duty to encourage residents to engage the relevant authorities, respect private property and follow the law.
Instead, the Opposition is attempting to legitimise electricity theft, disregard the rights of paying customers and compromise the safety of the national grid for political convenience.
This campaign is being led by Azruddin Mohamed, who is currently before the courts in extradition proceedings arising from an 11-count indictment in the United States involving gold smuggling, racketeering and other criminal enterprises.
This is a clear pattern where illegality is dressed up as empowerment, lawlessness is sold as political courage and vulnerable people are used as props in a reckless pursuit of political power.
Guyana cannot afford leadership that encourages citizens to break the law whenever it serves a political agenda.
The safety of our communities, the rights of property owners and the integrity of the national electricity network must be protected.
All of us as Guyanese have a duty to reject this dangerous politics of lawlessness.”
