PPP Campaign Representative Robert Persaud this afternoon said that the Governor of the Brazilian state of Roraima was not in Lethem to campaign for the PPP/C but that he had merely used the party’s meeting to bring greetings from the neighbouring state to the residents of Region Nine.
Persaud’s statement comes in the wake of mushrooming criticism of the presence of Roraima Governor Jose de Anchieta Junior and his delegation at the Lethem meeting yesterday and his statements lauding President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Diplomatic observers say it is completely out of order for the governor to have been at a party campaign event and to have spoken in favour of the accomplishments of President Jagdeo. The observers say it was tantamount to interference in the affairs of a neighbouring country and some political watchers surmise that the governor may have been deliberately taken to the meeting by party officials as a means of impressing the people of the Rupununi.
The presence of the governor at the meeting was publicly condemned earlier in the day by the Alliance For Change in a statement.
In his statement in response to the controversy, Persaud said:
“I wish to state emphatically that the Governor of Roraima, Jose de Anchieta Junior, was not in Lethem to campaign for the PPP/C.
“Prior to the public meeting, the Governor had official talks with President Jagdeo, Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues and Region Nine officials on improving relations and cross-border trade.
“The meeting was held on Sunday as it was convenient for President Jagdeo’s schedule.
“The Governor merely used the platform to bring greetings from the neighbouring state to the residents of Region Nine.
“It must be recognised that the two border communities (Boa Vista and Lethem) have very close people-to-people contact and a level of interdepence and exchange.”
Political observers say notwithstanding the closeness of the two communities there are many other region-to-region fora at which greetings could be exchanged but that the governor should not have been invited to do this at a highly partisan party forum.
In its statement on the controversy, the AFC said:
“The AFC condemns in the strongest terms, the violation of Guyana’s sovereignty, which occurred on Sunday, November 6, 2011, in Lethem, Rupununi, where the Federal Governor of the State of Roraima, José de Anchieta Junior, ascended the political platform of the PPP/C. The misguided Governor must have been aware that the nation is about to have Presidential, National Assembly, and Regional elections, and that it is bad protocol for one state to openly seek to influence the politics of another state; even if invited to do so by one of the political parties. This act of being seen, and speaking, at a political rally in another country is a clear violation of protocol, and international laws and conventions. Knowing that this is never done, the AFC, as is every Guyanese, (is) now concerned about the political motive behind this brazen move.
“The AFC intends to seek an explanation from the Government of Brazil, not only about this event, but as to the larger issue of Brazilian interest in Guyana; and it is now clear that there is profound interest and involvement beyond the expected government to government relations. The people of Guyana respect the government and people of Brazil and ask that the same respect for our people and sovereignty be reciprocated.
“An explanation and apology are owed to the people of Guyana”.
GINA in its release had said the Lethem meeting was “graced by Governor of the State of Roraima, José de Anchieta Junior, with whom the President met to discuss several projects that will benefit the citizens of both Guyana and Brazil.
“The Governor lauded the leadership of President Jagdeo who will be demitting Office shortly, and said that Guyana has made tremendous progress in bettering the lives of its people. He also expressed the hope for the friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries would continue under the new administration.”
GINA did not say anything about greetings brought by the governor as posited by Persaud.
