Kaieteur News sets out to mislead – Ramsammy

– “Glenn Lall’s scandalous agenda will not stop”

The recent reports in the Kaieteur News surrounding the contractual relationship between the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), and the NEW GPC Inc have been described as nothing but mischievous, blatant lies – the products of envy and vindictiveness.
“It is a blatant lie, it is not merely blatant but it is also mischievous. It is intended to fool people.  Being blatant is one thing, but when you deliberately go out there to fool people, you have a scandalous agenda and this scandalous agenda of the Kaieteur News will not stop,” said Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy in an interview on the Current Issues and Analysis (CIA) show on TVG/Channel 28 aired last weekend.
The show discussed key issues surrounding the MoH/GPHC/NEW GPC contracts for the supply and delivery of pharmaceuticals, as well as the proper storage of certain types of medicines.
Dr Ramsammy, who was Health Minister when the contracts were awarded, said he feels obligated to respond, since the baseless allegations are in some way also directed at him.
The minister, however, conceded that the primary aim of Kaieteur News is clearly to tarnish the image of NEW GPC Chairman, Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop, and to do harm to the reputation of his company.
“The Kaieteur News continues to mislead the nation by publishing blatant lies to support the personal interest of its owner and publisher Glenn Lall,” said Dr Ramsammy.
Personal attack
He said Kaieteur News is unleashing a personal attack on Dr Ramroop as Chairman of the NEW GPC. “There is no question about this and I am unapologetic about my stance, not just for Dr Ramroop, but also that wider group of young Guyanese entrepreneurs helping to develop our country.  People have said it is the private sector that must be the engine of growth and examples of this include people like Dr Ramroop. There are young entrepreneurs out there who have taken the risks and have helped develop businesses, and whilst they may personally benefit from the success of their businesses, Guyana also benefits,” Dr Ramsammy noted.
The minister pointed out that today there are hundreds of young people with good jobs because of the success of such businessmen.
“One would have expected that other businessmen, like Lall himself, would support such entrepreneurship and get more young people involved,” he said.
“It is absolutely unacceptable and shameful that we as Guyanese, instead of coming together to help promote businesses like these and get more entrepreneurs, we are beating up on them and trying to destroy them,” he said. “I think the Guyanese people should see that agenda of the Kaieteur News for what it is.”
Dr Ramsammy said that some politicians and powerful, influential individuals are combining forces to destroy “one side”, using their access to a public platform to promote their self-interests. He referred to the Marriott Hotel project which has come in for heavy criticism, saying the NEW GPC contracts and the Amaila Falls initiative are also criticised.
Political self-interest
The former Health Minister said another aspect of the agenda is an “open secret” about the anti- government stance which the opposition has taken, and the political self-interest of the principals of Kaieteur News.
“The two are very closely connected,” he said. “When you try to destroy successful private businesses, you are affecting the development of the country. When you attack good projects and you’re anti- government just because you want to oppose, then there is no doubt that there is clear self-interest and personal agendas.”
The minister said the Kaieteur News and the opposition have continuously attacked these projects which are very important for the nation’s economic development and the future of the people.
“The Kaieteur News has been adopted by the opposition parties, the Alliance For Change (AFC) in particular, as their anti-national vehicle,” he noted.
“Many sections of the newspaper and the actions of the principals of the newspaper are clear attacks on competent businessmen, simply because of competition.  Yet the persons behind these attacks are those who constantly argue that competition is the genesis of development and entrepreneurship,” the minister added.