Race discrimination claims must be supported by evidence – President Ali
Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali has said that any allegations of racial discrimination leveled against his administration must be supported by evidence.
President Irfaan Ali.
The then Head of State was responding to allegations made by executive member of the National Congress of Congress Reform (PNC-R), Aubrey Norton who has accused the administration of the Civic Progressive Party (PPP / C) of discriminating against Afro- Guyanese.
Speaking to reporters on the fringes of the Local Government Commission in the President’s Office, earlier this week, Ali called Norton’s allegation “baseless and misleading.”
“To have Mr Norton, without any basis, make such a statement – there is no evidence that he points out, making such a statement is reckless, it shows the depth of his leadership, It shows its commitment to national healing and national development and reveals its intention, to create mischief, to create distrust, to create disharmony and for that I have no respect, ”he said.
PNC-R executive member Aubrey Norton.
Further in addressing Norton’s allegations that the PPP / C favored Indo-Guyanese over Afro-Guyanese, the President made an open call for evidence-based analysis to support the allegations.
“Let us have a factual analysis of all entities in Government. What nonsense is Mr. Norton getting on? Is this the way we are going to move our country forward? ”Asked the President.
Ali also stressed that “If you wake up every morning, the most damaging thing I see on social media is the level of racist attacks that a Guyanese would put together, and then having Mr. Norton, without any basis, do the such a statement; there is no evidence to draw attention to it … making such a statement is reckless. ”
“It shows the depth of his leadership, he shows his commitment to national healing and national development, and he reveals his intention to do evil, to create distrust, to create disharmony and for that I have no respect, ”The President noted.
In addition, Ali said his administration will focus on a development agenda that will reflect the priorities of all Guyanese.
“We are building a country for every Guyanese. There is no need to fear; there is no need to discriminate on the grounds of political persuasion, religious belief or ethnicity. This is all a Government for Guyana, ”President Ali assured his audience during his inauguration,“ We are in this together; we are not separated by class, ethnicity, religion or political persuasion. We are united in the true Guyanese spirit. “
Mr Norton had posted a statement on the PNCR’s Facebook page in which he accused the Government of policy-making for the benefit of only one section of the population. He claimed among other things that the “back to” PPP / C ran Guyana as if only Indo-Guyanese and PPP supporters were Guyanese. The PNCR Executive had claimed that “everyone else lost property and pushed into, or stayed in, poverty.”