[www.inewsguyana.com] – The war of words continue between Housing Minister, Irfaan Ali and Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan.
The latest battle occurred on Monday, December 30 as the AFC accused Ali of being aware that Ramjattan’s phone is tapped.
However, the Housing Minister in a statement has denied knowledge of such claims. The war of words stemmed from an exchange of words between the two last week and Ali accused Ramjattan of telling him (Ali) to “haul his ass” during a telephone discussion.
In this regard, Minister Ali reportedly stated that he will get the recording of the telephone conversation from the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company.
It was in this context that the AFC is now accusing the Housing Minister of having knowledge of Ramjattan’s phone being tapped.
“It is obvious from his definitive remark, that Minister Ali is aware that the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company records telephone conversations either of the Ministry of Housing or Mr. Ramjattan’s phone. Previously Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon admitted to the nation that the authorities have recorded telephone conversations but he explained that these were exclusively related to criminal activity.
“The AFC reminds the nation that based on the wiretapping legislation passed in the National Assembly, the security services may seek the formal legal permission of a judge to have the telephone of a company or person tapped upon provision of compelling reasons to do so.
“By his own, bold admission, Minister Ali has told the nation that either his ministry’s phones are tapped or Mr. Ramjattan’s phone is tapped (or both),” the AFC stated.
The AFC is demanding that Minister Ali provide full disclosure of all information he is privy to in this regard to the nation.
Ali’s Response
According to Minister Ali, the AFC continues to engage in its politics of deception, trickery and lies.
He said, “As Housing and Water Minister, I am unaware that the government has instructed the tapping of Ramjattan’s phone or those belonging to the Ministry. Additionally, the AFC’s attempt to draw extraneous matters in relation to the wiretapping of phones, legality of the same and other security issues has not escaped my attention.
“The exact words uttered to the media were: ‘We are hoping that we can make a request of GT&T to have a recording of this also.’ This comment was made in direct relation to Ramjattan’s wanton and dastard attack on an ordinary and innocent Public Servant in my office.”
Minister Ali reiterated his call for Ramjattan to issue an immediate apology for “his lawless loud, abusive, unprofessional, unethical, immoral and highly offensive abuse of a public servant. This is the only ethical and moral thing that any human can do for such an abuse of power.”
“If Ramjattan and his party fails to do this then it proves him not only unfit to hold public office as President for which he desperately aspires but it proves the AFC an unworthy political entity govern by a lack of ethics and standards.”
