[www.inewsguyana.com] – Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon has come out in full defense of Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Robert Persaud.
This follows the call for Persaud to resign as a Government Minister by Executive Member of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Joseph Harmon, who accused the Minister of lying to the Parliamentary Committee on activities which are ongoing at the New River Areas.
Persaud is alleged to have told the committee that no activity was ongoing in the area, when indeed a survey is currently being conducted. However, when questioned on Wednesday, December 12 at his post cabinet media briefing, Dr. Luncheon told reporters that Minister Persaud told the Committee that there are no “mining” activities ongoing in the New River areas.
“Minister Persaud said to us that he advised the Parliamentary sectoral committee that mining activities were not taking place and the Minister says he stands on his word,” Dr. Luncheon said.
The Cabinet Secretary also defended other Government Ministers, including Clement Rohee, Irfaan Ali and Dr. Ashni Singh. Dr. Luncheon made it clear that these Ministers were appointed to execute government policies and that is exactly what they are doing.
“There is hardly any likelihood that if you are implementing a government policy in a ministerial sector that the opposition would prevail by saying to the administration ‘we are going to behave as though it’s you who is ultimately responsible’, you have the power, you make the policy and we are saying hell no. Rohee, Robert Persaud, Irfaan Ali, Ashni Singh, they implement government policy. If they (the opposition) don’t like the government policy, let them call elections.”
