APNU+AFC seeks to link US State Department official to PPP image makeover firm

Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 December 2019, 17:46 by Writer

The governing coalition of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Monday night slammed a United States (US) State Department Advisor on Latin America and Caribbean Affairs, Dr. Robert Ellis for predicting a “likely” People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) victory at the next elections, by seeking to link him to a company that is helping to clean up that party’s image.

“We also wish to advise the Guyanese public that Mr. Ellis is a ‘known asset’ of a certain lobbying firm in Washington DC, USA. This firm has a known connections [sic] to the PPP. The Guyanese public is aware that this very firm is being paid tens of millions of dollars by the PPP and is tasked with whitewashing that party’s tainted and tattered image,” the coalition said.

The APNU+AFC did not name the company with which it said Ellis, a former US Army War College Professor, is associated.

Slamming as “mischievous” the Demerara Waves Online News report in which Ellis stated that the US would have to hold a PPP administration to commitments to fight corruption and ensure transparency, the APNU+AFC said the 25-page report “cherry-picked” a few swords, and they were taken completely out of context.

The coalition charges that the article “smacks of desperation by the PPP and its agents.”

“Theirs is an attempt to dupe the Guyanese public into believing that the PPP stands any chance of returning to government. It also illustrates that the PPP is attempting to distract from their beleaguered presidential candidate, (edited) Irfan Ali, and their recent disastrous manifesto launch,” the coalition added.

APNU+AFC added that it is interesting to note as well that the so-called “expert” admitted that the PPP regime has a legacy of corruption, victimization, nepotism and narcotocracy.

“That is the PPP’s real and true image and that is in their DNA. The PPP is not to be trusted, it is not reformed and it is the same old cabal with the same kleptocracy agenda. No high-priced Washington lobbying firm with a bucket of whitewash can mask that from the Guyanese people who are very familiar with the unending list of development work being done by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government which has initiated a nationwide development overdrive,’ the coalition said.

“On the other hand, not only is the PPP trapped in its image of being obscenely and grotesquely corrupt but several of its leaders are either facing court trials or being investigated for criminal conduct,” the governing coalition said.