IN the Guyana Chronicle, April 11th 2014, captioned: ‘President calls on Opposition leader to apologise to Guyanese – for insulting drug money comment’, President Donald Ramotar (as reported), accuses Opposition Leader David Granger of making a statement that Guyana is being developed with “drug” money. It is further reported in the same article that during the Budget debate this week, Granger expressed the view that narco-trafficking is responsible for growth in Guyana.The Leader of the Opposition Brigadier David A. Granger refutes the President’s allegation; and deems erroneous, all subsequent remarks reported by the Chronicle in the above mentioned article, pertaining to his 2014 Budget presentation.
On page three of the Leader of the Opposition’s speech, under the heading ‘Same old PPP, Same old indifference to contraband’ – Granger said the following: “The public security crisis will not correct itself. Narco-trafficking is the engine of growth that is driving this country’s high rates of money laundering, gun running, execution murders and armed robberies. Violent crime is scaring foreign investors, driving away the educated elite, undermining economic growth and impeding social development.”
The statement that Guyana is being developed by “drug” money was never made by the Leader of the Opposition in his presentation on the 2014 Budget debate to the National Assembly. David Granger therefore refutes the erroneous allegation made by President Donald Ramotar as reported in the Guyana Chronicle on April 11th, 2014.
MARK A. ARCHER
Communications Director
Office of the Leader of the Opposition