Govt, ruling party deny “buy out” of opposition MPs to vote against no-confidence motion

Last Updated on Thursday, 18 September 2014, 22:30 by GxMedia

The Guyana Government and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Thursday denied that it was about to bribe three opposition parliamentarians at GUY$30 million each to vote against the Alliance For Change (AFC)-sponsored no-confidence motion when it comes up for debate in the coming weeks.

In a statement, the Office of the President called on AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan to produce the evidence and complain to the police because his allegations “border on criminality.”

“Office of the President rejects this outrageous allegation and challenges Mr. Ramjattan to forthwith disclose, publicly, the names of these three Parliamentarians to which he makes reference and to further make a full and frank public disclosure of all or any information which he claims he has received in relation to this matter.”

Government earlier this week announced that it would be debating the no-confidence motion instead of calling early general and regional election.

Ramjattan earlier in the day suggested that the three parliamentarians might come from the parliamentary coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) when he said he was confident that the AFC’s seven MPs would vote solidly for the no-confidence motion and he expected the 26-seat APNU to do likewise.

The PPP-Civic and APNU have said separately that they were unaware of such a plot to “buy off” three opposition MPs.

Greeting Ramjattan’s statement with “utter shock,” the Office of the President. “This startling disclosure follows a long line of reckless and baseless utterances emanating from the AFC,” stated the government.

The Office of the President said it “holds firmly to the view that the AFC has become desperate and is obviously prepared to adopt strange postures and make wild and irresponsible statements in their quest to exaggerate their importance and standing.”

The PPP called Ramjattan’s allegation “utter rubbish” and charged that the AFC Leader was engaged in a “smear campaign.”

The PPP echoed government’s call for Ramjattan to immediately disclose, publicly, the names of the three Parliamentarians to which he makes reference and to further make a full and frank public disclosure of all or any information which he claims he has received in relation to this matter. 

The PPP accused used the opportunity to play up what it said are more than 60 years of defending and struggling for electoral, parliamentary and constitutional democracy and the rule of law.  The ruling party pledged not to engage in any act that would blemish its track record. “Our democratic credentials is not only recognize nationally and internationally but can withstand scrutiny from any quarter. The party of Cheddi Jagan will never do anything to undermine the democratic rights and constitutional freedoms of our people,” added the PPP.