LIAR, LIAR
Weekly viewpoint by Robert Persaud MBA
Accusations of lie and truth fly in the political exchanges (be it in and out of the Elections season). The PNCR Leader himself recently introduced the `L’ word, no doubt going on the offensive knowing that his Party’s campaign might, among other things, be based on lies, half-truths and misinformation. In normal circumstances, branding someone or an organization a `liar’ is considered to be uncouth. But when the assailants of the truth are accusing others of lying, the facts/truths have to be told and the liars exposed. Sadly, the PNCR leadership is more and more becoming estranged from the truth. It now faces a serious credibility crisis in its campaign to derail Elections and to besmirch the reputation of the PPP/C administration. Allow me to illustrate a few of the more recent lies being peddled by that Party and its leadership.
LIE A: The PNC/Reform on its Channel 9 Nation Watch Programme (Sunday, May 21, 2006) claimed that the recent United States Department report on the narco-trade stated that 60 percent of Guyana’s economy is funded by narco-traffickers. And further the PPP/C Government is soft on the drug trade and drug barons.
TRUTH A: The official US Government report on the country’s counter-narcotics effort released earlier this year states: ‘the Government of Guyana does not facilitate the production, processing, or shipment of narcotic and psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, and does not discourage the investigation of such acts’ and that ‘the DEA works closely with Guyana’s government and law enforcement agencies to develop initiatives that will significantly enhance their counter narcotics activities.’ There is also intellectual dishonesty in mixing up the informal economy with `drugs-money’/ under-ground economy. These two issues are different. Ask any first year student of economics. The informal economy covers those which do not make full contribution to the coffers are not registered or properly licensed, but are financed by legitimate dollars. It may also be considered to be a sub-set of the wider underground economy. No one doubts that there is an element of narco-money in some activities and which ought to be arrested. But to use `drugs money’ is difficult, given the anti-money laundering regulations, strict banking policies and international networking and collaboration to track down drugs and other dirty money. It is in fact an attack on our business community and hardworking entrepreneurs by the PNCR to say that nearly all economic activities are drug-related. I await the Private Sector Commission, the Chambers of Commerce and the Bankers’ Group rejection of this lie and to defend those members who are engaged in investment and economic activities with clean and legitimately earned cash.
LIE B : It was reported in the Stabroek News of May 15, 2006 that the PNCR at a political meeting at the Square of the Revolution on Saturday, May 13 said that the President made a `dramatic (telephone) call’ to that Party’s representative on its demands for house-to-house verification.
TRUTH B : The Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon had to write the Stabroek News pointing out that at no time did the President call or speak to either Mr. Winston Murray or anyone from that Party from Vienna, Austria. The Opposition’s claim was a lie. And the PNCR Leader’s attempt to obfuscate the issue by issuing a counter claim holds no water. It was just a belated attempt to divert attention after being caught lying again with its pants down. Stabroek News, the entity that carried the PNC/R’s lie, subsequently regretted the ‘error’.
LIE C: The PNCR said that the Cabinet decided to suspend communication between the four-member team appointed by President Bharrat Jagdeo and Opposition Leader Robert Corbin to address issues caused by GECOM’s inability to hold Elections on time.
TRUTH C: Cabinet never took such a decision. The Government in fact said the door for dialogue remains open. Progress could not be made as the PNCR had placed demands and conditionalities even before the discussions started. No negotiation in any part of the world can commence if there are demands and conditionalities set before this start. Also, the demands by the PNCR were outside the remit of the representatives.
LIE D: During a public meeting in New Amsterdam, the PNC/R claimed that there are several persons with multiple identification cards in their possession.
TRUTH D : When asked for the names, no names were provided so that the matter could have been investigated. Neither GECOM nor the Police had received any such report or was asked to check this. This lie was intended to discredit the Elections process and to create confusion. The lie mirrors that made overseas by PNCR representatives who alleged the overseas mission in New York was collecting persons’ identification cards so that they can be used for voting here by others. The PNCR is fully aware that this can only be a figment of its imagination. Polling day procedures are the stiffest and most stringent to prevent multi-voting or even a ballot being cast by an ineligible voter.
LIE E : The PNCR, at its press conference of June 1, said that GECOM Commissioner Mahmood Shaw had mobilized PPP supporters to stop PNCR activists from carrying out field work on Sunday, May 28 at Enmore, East Coast of Demerara.
TRUTH E: Mr. Shaw has publicly said that he was not involved in any field work in Enmore on that day. No one in Enmore heard or saw any PNCR activists on that day carrying out any activity. The Police or GECOM did not receive any such report of any Party activists being prevented from carrying out field work. The PNCR is yet to dispute Mr. Shaw’s public refutation of this lie.
Generally, that has been the trend of the PNCR’s campaign, especially in relation to the demand for house-to-house verification. Recognising its dismal failure to garner public and international support for the Elections derailment plot, the PNCR has just sought to invent a legal provision which demands residency as a requirement for a person to be eligible to vote. The PNCR misrepresented a 1991 amendment to the laws of Guyana and lies about what it says. All the lawyers, including opposition legal minds, have again found that Party lying even in the wake of glaring truth. That party is becoming even more ridiculous in its campaign of resorting to naked lies.
Those were a few recent examples. Don’t be surprised if they are still often repeated as the Opposition may be bankrupt of ideas and plans for the country and can only rely on lies and fabrications.
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