- Other organisations, businessmen condemn statement
In light of recent statements made by City Mayor Ubraj Narine against President Ali whom he accused of turning Guyana into an ‘Islamic State’ several organisations and prominent businessmen have condemned the utterances and called for the mayor to resign.
See below full statement issued by the PSC:
It has come to the attention of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) that the Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine, in the course of protesting against the removal of vendors on New Market Street, descended into making a number of wholly unacceptable, vile, obnoxious, religiously offensive and highly provocative personal statements publicly directed at the President of our country.
The Private Sector is appalled at these statements and condemns them in the strongest possible manner.
Mr. Narine, having realized that his statements were immediately rejected out of hand as offensive and dangerously divisive by the Christian, Muslim, and Hindu organisations of our country, belatedly, attempted an apology.
The Private Sector is of the view that, given the high office and responsibility of the Mayorship of our capital city, Mr. Ubraj Narine has proved himself to be unfit for this office and is left with no alternative but to immediately resign.
Full statement from Viraat Sabha Guyana:
The Viraat Sabhaa Guyana opposes the remarks made by the mayor in his condemnation of work executed by the Central Government. His expression of degrading the President as a racist and Muslim leader who wants to create Guyana into a Muslim state has no relevance to his subject. The Sabhaa has confirmed that since President Ali ascended to his position, his agenda of uniting Guyana took precedence over everything else. For he is firm in his conviction that only a united Guyana could accelerate the progressive attitude of our people.
The President personal intervention and involvement in program such as Men on Mission is a testimony to the fact that he is concerned about every gender, that is, men should maximize their support for women and children. President Ali has never deliberately absented himself from any Hindu festivals. As a matter of fact, this year he was personally involved in the Diwali celebrations in Georgetown and other parts of the country. His passionate celebration of Phagwah and his personal visits to various Mandirs is a testimony of his support for the Hindu religion. His contribution to the strengthening of the social and religious fabric is being admired by all with whom he would have come into contact.
How is it a man who is an ambassador of CARICOM and whom aspire to create a better Guyana for all, could be accused of racism and religious bias?
The Mayor in effort to explore possibilities for the vendors has allowed his emotional overdrive to ventilate these bias accusations of the President. The Viraat Sabhaa denounces such expressions and calls on the Mayor to tender his resignation with immediate effect for making such dangerous statements.
The Sabhaa continues to support national development wherein all could benefit. A man is a citizen before he becomes an individual. All citizens should subscribe to full patriotism which could enhance full evolution of the nation.
Meanwhile, Prominent business people have also lashed out at the mayor stating that the statements have far stretching consequences and will not be tolerated.
Guyana, they say will remain a blessed country with its rich cultural and religious diversities and that Narine should have been more careful before making such a dangerous statement.
