Rohee dismisses PNCR sabotage claims

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has dismissed outright claims by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) that it tried to sabotage that party’s 18th Biennial Congress held over the weekend.

At the party’s weekly press conference on Monday, General Secretary Clement Rohee said there were more pertinent things to be dealt with than seeking to interfere in the politics of the main Opposition party. “We have other interests to pursue, our party’s interest, so why would the PPP want to… We must be a very influential and powerful party to sabotage a PNC Congress. I think that is just politics.”

Re-elected PNCR leader David Granger had told reporters minutes after the Congress on Sunday evening, that the ruling PPP/Civic had made failed attempts to ruin the Congress. Despite a walkout by Lindeners who attended the Congress, Granger insisted that the event was successful.

The Party Leader had hinted too that the PPP had its ways and means of influencing PNC supporters. In response, Rohee exclaimed: “That is good news; that is wonderful news.” Rohee said he had also heard Granger saying that the PPP would have provocateurs infiltrate the party to create difficulty for the PNC. According to him, that is a “ruse”, as the PNC continued to claim that the PPP would use persons to engage in riots and looting. “That is nothing new,” Rohee said.

Ruse

Questioned on why the PPP has also demonstrated such innate interest in the PNC’s Congress, Rohee said that that party has been, for years, the major rival of his party, so it is obvious that an interest in what they are doing would be apparent. “The same way they would have an interest in what we are doing, the same way we would have an interest in them”.

Questions were also about the paid ads in the print media regarding the PNC Congress. However, Rohee denied that the PPP or the Government had anything to do with those.

The advertisement placed in newspapers in the run-up to the Congress on July 25 urged PNC party members attending the event to question their leaders on their reasons for voting down many transformational projects in the National Assembly, wanting to close down the sugar industry and cutting budget allocations for the Amerindian Development Fund and the University of Guyana Students Loan Programme among other initiatives.

The 18th Biennial Congress of the PNCR came to an end Sunday evening amid claims that it was tainted by extensive deception, threats, and coercion. Granger returned to his post as leader after the two contenders Aubrey Norton and Sharma Solomon bowed out of the race. Basil Williams also reclaimed his position as Chairman.