Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:01 by GxMedia
Clement Rohee on Thursday dispelled suggestions that he was overburdened by Home Affairs ministerial duties and those as General Secretary of the governing Peoples Progressive Party (PPP).“Now, I have two jobs to do. I have so arranged my life and I’ve so arranged my time to ensure that neither side is short-changed and the health and vitality of the General Secretary and the Minister of Home Affairs remain intact,” he told a news conference.
He was at the time reacting to calls by a section of the political opposition that he should step down as minister responsible for internal security.
Neither Rohee nor President Donald Ramotar had ruled out the minister stepping down when the Guyanese leader announced his decision on August 19 not to seek re-election to the de facto post of party leader.
But Rohee, a long-serving PPP member, on Thursday made his position known clearly that he was not about to give up either post.
The President has attributed his decision to give up the General Secretaryship because of his need to concentrate on presidential duties.
The Home Affairs Minister, who has previously made known his presidential ambitions, is disliked by A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (AFC) that have both teamed up to pass a no-confidence vote in him.
After much rancour, House Speaker Raphael Trotman had ruled that Rohee could not be removed from office or prevented from speaking in the legislature because he was a member of the Executive which is headed by the President.