Facing questions over the hiring of a United States (US) lobbying firm to push the claim that the opposition is seeking to stage a coup, Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency Joseph Harmon yesterday maintained that no taxpayer funds are being used for the campaign and that it is the APNU+AFC coalition’s incensed supporters who are funding it.
“I would say to you that this is not funds that have been from the government… our supporters and friends abroad have come together, put together their $100, lil $2,000 and they are paying for this. No money is coming from the government treasury,” Harmon told reporters yesterday morning after an inspection of the Civil Defence Commission’s operations.
No official results have been declared from Guyana’s March 2 elections after the tabulation of results for the largest region was discredited by observers and contesting parties except for the incumbent APNU+AFC, which has claimed victory. As a result, the David Granger-led administration has been warned against attempting to swear him in based on the discredited results. A CARICOM-brokered initiative for a recount, which was agreed to by Granger, has since been stymied.