Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo says the government is open to dialogue with anyone interested in inclusivity but it will not tolerate anyone seeking to undermine democratic processes and institutions here.
He also reiterated that the government is against any person or group seeking to divide the nation.
Jagdeo, who is also the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), engaged reporters on Thursday at a press conference at the party headquarters in Georgetown, Freedom House.
During the engagement, he did not shy away from expressing his displeasure at the visiting United States (US) group.
That group, the Organization of World Leaders (OWL) led by Former Chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Dee Dawkins-Haigler, is said to be on a fact-finding mission in Guyana over allegations of racism and discrimination.
The group has been shunned by the government because of alleged ties to activist and hardline PPP/C critic Rickford Burke and his organisation, the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID). But the group has denied any relationship with Burke or his body despite referencing his organisation in a previous press release.
Jagdeo said that critics and members of the political opposition often resort to accusations of racism or discrimination to criticise the government but they have not been able to substantiate those accusations.
And if critics were serious about those accusations, Jagdeo reminded the public that the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), a constitutional body, and the judiciary can be used as pathways to address any concerns.
But he believes the private group has been misled or swayed, noting that they are being “chaperoned” by the same persons hurling accusations at the government. And for him, that should not be the case.
“Any foreign body that comes to Guyana must not undermine the democratic status of this society and the institutions here.
“We remain open to discussions with anyone but we are not going to be dictated to especially by people who claim objectivity but their actions don’t support those statements,” Jagdeo said.
Further, the Vice President emphasised that the PPP/C government hopes to promote greater inclusivity across the country even as he boasted that the party is the only national party that enjoys widespread support.