By Fareeza Haniff
![L - R: APNU Parliamentarian, Annette Ferguson; Leader David Granger and Parliamentarian, Winston Felix. [iNews' Photo]](https://i0.wp.com/www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/APNU.jpg)
This is the view of Leader of the main Opposition – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), who told reporters at a press conference today, Friday January 02, 2015 that the Guyanese society have lost respect for the President.
The Office of the President says that efforts are being made to authenticate “the integrity” of the recording in which President Ramotar allegedly defended former President, Bharrat Jagdeo by calling a secondary school teacher, John Adams stupid.
The audio recording with a voice believed to be that of the sitting President, was at the time responding Adams, who heckled him during a recent meeting in the Amerindian village.
Adams raised concerns about the former President when Ramotar could be heard telling the villager: “You don’t know anything about Jagdeo; if he been here, he might have slap you, cause you stupid”.
The incident occurred on December 03, 2014 and Granger is calling on the President to apologise.
According to the Opposition Leader, the President’s “feral blast” explains why Guyana’s political culture has deteriorated so rapidly over the last fifteen years under Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar.
“It explains why the public has lost respect for the President. It explains also why ordinary Guyanese no longer have much confidence in the Government. It explains why there have been so many public protests against political and governmental officials all around the country.”
He further noted, “A major cause of the collapse of confidence has been the President’s own crass, coarse and crude choice of words in his public statements.”
Granger is of the view that Ramotar, over the past three years, has degraded the high office of President of the Republic “with his invective and vituperative language.
“The frequency and vulgarity of his offensive statements against certain persons and in public places suggest that there is a deeper disdain and reckless disregard both for the Presidency and the people. He is bringing the entire nation into disrepute,” the Opposition Leader said.
Granger opined that if the President had apologized on the same day the incident occurred, then it would have showed a different side of his character. He explained that the APNU is convinced that the recording is authentic, since they conducted a face to face interview with Adams.
Meanwhile, Shadow Home Affairs Minister, Winston Felix cited several cases of disrespect by members of the PPP, including that of Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall and former Local Government Minister, Kellawan Lall.
Felix, a former Police Commissioner, noted that the PPP is known to resort to threats and violence to keep people quiet.
A report in the Stabroek News today stated that President Ramotar on Wednesday said that he has a vague recollection of his response to an Aishalton teacher and scoffed at media reports of the incident where it was alleged that he said that former President Bharrat Jagdeo might have slapped the heckler.
The APNU provided several examples of the President’s boorishness:
Aishalton: President Ramotar was recorded at Aishalton Village in the Rupununi Region as saying to John Adams, a 29-year-old secondary school teacher: “You don’t know anything about Jagdeo. If he been here, he might a slap you, coz (because) you stupid.” Adams was also accosted by members of the Presidential Guard and told to stop heckling the President while he was speaking. When Adams refused, “he was slapped repeatedly by the guards” and chased away.
Babu John: President Ramotar, at the commemoration ceremony of the deaths of Cheddi and Janet Jagan on 2nd March 2014 at Babu John on the Corentyne Coast, insulted Moses Nagamootoo, Vice-chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC) over comments he made about Guyana’s debt situation. Ramotar referred to him as “the jackass Nagamootoo” (Kaieteur News, March 5, 2013).
Whim: President Ramotar told a rally at Whim Village on the Corentyne Coast: “[Moses] Nagamootoo is like a dog lunging at his shadow; at his reflection! He was expecting Ramjattan to make him Vice-President! Ramjattan is a puppet! Ramjattan is a sham… So, if Nagamooto think that Ramjattan go make him Vice-President, Lauraah!” (Kaieteur News, November 10, 2011).
Port Mourant: President Ramotar told the PPP Congress at Port Mourant on the Corentyne Coast that he always knew that Moses Nagamootoo was “a man with a flawed character who had a penchant for opportunism.” (Stabroek News, August 3, 2013).
Georgetown: President Ramotar falsely claimed that Leader of the Opposition, Brigadier David Granger, had knowledge of 155 weapons that went missing from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) while he was the Commander, after being issued to the People’s National Congress (PNC) Government in the 1970s. (Guyana Times, August 30, 2014). President Ramotar said, further, “….When those weapons were given to the PNC, the present leader of the PNC was the commander of the army at the time. And now that he is the leader of the PNC, I would expect that he would make a genuine effort to return the weapons that were given to the PNC.” (Stabroek News, August 30, 2014).
If the President in fact did say those things, then he is only stating the fact in Guyanese language. Which other language did Granger expect the President to speak, Chinese, French?
What does Granger mean by ordinary Guyanese? Maybe he’s talking about his overseas Guyanese buddies whom been sucking up to him recently. He knows exactly whom they are.
If the opposition was given a Chance to rule you would have had a nice fat salary and 80% of guyana would have been in poverty. The records show that guyana in guyana only 28% could be considered to be under poverty. In PNC days they had no record because the didn’t want the World to know. Those people that bring guyana out from a Slum that pnc trow them in should be respected and not those in the incompetent opposition that are telling people to respect. Why should the people respect murderers like Granger.
The PNC called APNU is whining?
Well making the country ungovernable and injecting slow fiah followed by mo fiah is your mantra.
This language sends a rotten and hateful message.
It endorses bad behaviour.
Do not complain but retract those statements.
You people should get no respect!
Stop trying to pin your killing squad on the pnc ,,,are you saying roger khan was a felix boy,,Jackass it was gadraj who had the squad, you so confused you talk shot all the time,,you just like NCN and the chronicle show us the diary from fine man and many of you get jail,,you dont even know if you are a coliee, you look in the mirror and you black as tar,,and i just made a senior position,,,it biting you when i will come to arrest you and take pride in seeing you chose a boy friend in the lockups,,i know how scared you are of being ruled by a Black leader,,you think Sam hinds was president you would be drinking from the cup hell NO ,,the buck not stupid they smart,,you cant fool them like how you being fooled with crap ,,,
How sure are you about the recording. Why haven’t Glenn lall publish the whole Script on the day it occured.
John Adams, Being a school teacher was teaching the young school children how to disrespect Guyana’s Administrator. From all indications it is always okay for PNC members to do anything and get away with it.
Look at Felix, One of Guyana’s biggest hypocrites. Who in Guyana dose’t know that Felix and the phantom squad was working hand in hand? Andrew, was one of his lieutenant who leave the police work to work full time for the then squad. Now the same murder Andrew, is claiming to be an “Indian” A “INDIAN” Andrew an Indian? lol. lol. ha ha he he ha lol Andrew an Indian! Now I must be a Dougla!
Hey be proud of your Ethnicity. Andrew you are not a cop, you were a cop.
Maybe Andrew is a PPP too.
So is monkey see monkey do,,The PPP need to know much better,,come on
Investing in special spy equipment for a DRUG king ROGER With tax payers money, to kill the all them youths is great work by your ppl,,remember, nuff BLOOD on the hands of many of you,,,and you ppl only understand violent street protest,,you see any body looking at the one man protest in front of the other LAW-LESS AG,,and the layers have a job to do weather PNC or PPP ,,who defended ROGER KHAN,,or he is a church saint,,its the failure of proper evidence that the criminals walk free,,its the bandit judges that collect and set them free,Good layers can free any fool even roger,,
Thank you for such a great and well said blog,,talk what you like granger is not a saint but you never herd or see this coming for them,,,THANK YOU
WHY NOT PRESS CHARGES..!
Are you saying that defending criminals in court and the PNC type protest are not violence. You have to be a true follower of Granger the murderer. When Hoyte promote Mo fire slow fire that was not violent.
The PNC seem to forget National Park in 1975. When someone booed Burnham what did Forbes do? He called the man a Jackass on the Public address system. Where was Granger then? What did he do to correct Burnham?
The PPP/C government is promoting violence in
Guyana. That is why we are such a violent Country. If the people in the highest places can do it, why not the rest. The Government leaders are not models for the rest of Guyana. Mr. Granger on the other is a model. You have never heard such language in his vocabulary.
Granger speaks as if everybody respect him for his actions as a leader during the infamous PNC days.