AFC Leader assures full security for Friday’s No-Confidence vote

Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Raphael Trotman says the Party has been assured by Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan that the security forces are “fully mobilized and prepared” to ensure there is no breach of the peace during Friday’s debate of the No-Confidence motion filed by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

Mr Trotman, in a statement Wednesday night, responded to concerns expressed by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) whose Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira wrote a letter to Commissioner of Police, Leslie James in relation to security concerns for Friday’s sitting.

In the PPP’s letter, Teixeira stated that the PPP received information that there will be an attempt to prevent the Members of the Parliamentary Opposition from entering the compound of the Parliament Buildings on December 21st.

But Trotman, in response, noted that “We [AFC] have heard our share of rumours of diabolical plots by the PPP, and of moves to disrupt the House when the vote on the Motion fails.

“We have cautioned our MPs to be vigilant even before and during the debate and ask our supporters to be on the lookout for agent provocateurs who we understand will try to infiltrate their numbers and cause confusion.”

See Trotman’s full statement below:

The Alliance For Change is as concerned as the Peoples Progressive Party about the peace and order on Friday December 21st and has sought assurances from the Minister of Public Security about the security arrangements for the Public Buildings, the Members of Parliament and those who are likely to congregate outside to support either side.

We have been assured that the security forces are fully mobilised and prepared to ensure that there is no breach of the peace

We have heard our share of rumours of diabolical plots by the PPP, and of moves to disrupt the House when the vote on the Motion fails.

We have cautioned our MPs to be vigilant even before and during the debate and ask our supporters to be on the look out for agent provocateurs who we understand will try to infiltrate their numbers and cause confusion.

For our democracy to prevail we must respect each other’s views and we beseech the PPP to accept the vote.

It is bad enough that this Motion was introduced immediately when His Excellency President David Granger announced that he was seeking medical attention and needed the nation’s support.

The PPP has to understand that thousands see this as a cowardly attack on the President and are rightly outraged.

The budget presented the best opportunity for a debate on the policies and programmes of the government and it was passed without any dissent by the PPP, so this Motion is at best superfluous, and vexatious and at worse, a cowardly manoeuvre against the President, and should be withdrawn.

The AFC urges the PPP leaders to respect the views of all Guyana and to call on their supporters to respect the views of the majority when the motion is voted down as we are certain it will be.