Opposition Leader David Granger says that if he is elected the next President of Guyana he will not allow suspected criminals associated with the incumbent People’s Progressive Party to be part of his administration.
In addition, he pointed out that former president Bharat Jagdeo would be ostracized as he would be a bad influence. “Send Mr Jagdeo far away,” was Granger’s response to Stabroek News when asked if he were in President Donald Ramotar’s shoes what would have been his decision instead of prorogation.
Granger said moving Jagdeo far away, would remove him from any position of influence. He said the influence of Jagdeo would not be good for any new administration and he would not have him hovering over his administration should he be elected.
The APNU leader explained that it was the saturation of wrongdoings during Ramotar’s presidency that was the main reason a no-confidence motion was being brought against the government; specifically Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh’s admitted spending of $4.5 million that had been disapproved by the opposition. He said he believed the president should have allowed the debating of the no-confidence motion as a form of owning up to the actions of government members.
“The motion of no-confidence came about when the minister attempted to introduce financial paper 1 of 2014. But there are several other issues we would have alluded to: the actual act of misconduct of ministers… and of course, the behaviour of the minister of finance in actually bringing this bill,” Granger said.
“So this is not a misadventure, this is misbehaviour in office, this is lawlessness. …It’s not a matter of if we see ourselves in those shoes, the government has misbehaved and they are subject to scrutiny by the National Assembly. … I don’t have to put myself in his shoes or in the face of the PPP. There have been wrongdoings and the ppp must face up to that fact. And by spending money that was disapproved in the National Assembly Dr Singh is going to be punished. …Its cause and consequence,” he added.
Questioned on if he would seek to advocate the punishment of those who committed alleged wrongdoings during the PPP elected period, an animated Granger pulled back in his seat and said “Of course!”
Would he sit down around the table with persons touting inclusionary democracy who he intends to punish? “I would punish them first. I would punish them first,” he said.
When asked his reason for believing that the PPP or any other opposition party should want to participate in a government of national unity, if the executive seeks to advocate the punishment of those who would have been part of a previous administration, Granger stated, “People who have been alleged to have commit illegal or criminal acts will be punished.”
Granger had said that President Donald Ramotar should blame the opposition for the no-confidence motion, but he should have ensured that his ministers acted in accordance with the law. “My mother used to say the time to repent is before the event,” he said. “The president needed to have a cabinet that behaves in an orderly and lawful manner. What we are seeing now is the consequence of three years of misbehaviour.” The APNU leader maintained that for Guyana to develop holistically there must be inclusion of all parties, a political trademark he will bring should he win by a majority or plurality.
“A government of national unity must involve all of the parties represented in the national assembly otherwise we are simply perpetuating a winner-take-all approach to government. A government of national unity is a serious matter it means bring all parties in the national assembly into the government. You cannot win 48 percent and exclude 52 percent of the electorate,” Granger stressed.
However those persons coming to be part of Granger’s inclusionary democracy must come free of scandal or criminal backgrounds.
“There is no prospect of sitting around the table with criminals. If people have done wrong I would not intrude or interfere with the course of the law. But we can invite persons… parties, people with clean hands, to come into the administration…,”he said.
“It is not a matter of bringing in criminals it is a matter of bringing in people who are interested in building Guyana,” he added.
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