PPP upset with ‘waste time’ Vinceroy Jordan’s behaviour in Belladrum

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has condemned the obstruction of an engagement between Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag and residents of Belladrum, Region Five by APNU+AFC Member of Parliament Vinceroy Jordan. The incident occurred on Tuesday, November 08, 2022.

Big Smith News Watch previously reported that Jordan and a group of elderly residents from Belladrum blocked the Minister from accessing a community building where she intended to roll out several developmental and skills training plans for the young people. Jordan was quoted saying; “we don’t want development here and we certainly do not need it from you and your government.” After being upbraided by some residents, he instead said, “let me say this; development is welcome but it must be done through a particular channel and that is the functioning NDC.”

In a video on his party’s page, Jordan denied preventing the Minister’s access to the youths. Instead, he alleged that Minister Parag visited the community to take over the building and hand it over to another official.

The Minister was previously blocked from meeting young people at the building by elders who are a part of the Community Development Council (CDC) group. The Chairman of the group had indicated that the building was vandalized earlier and time was needed to conduct an audit but further probe found that this was not true.

The PPP on Wednesday said Minister Parag’s visit to the community was a result of a request made by residents during an earlier visit by President Dr Irfaan Ali. The residents had sought the president’s intervention to facilitate access to skills training, scholarships and other empowerment opportunities, the party stated.

“The PNC led APNU+AFC has demonstrated time and time again that it is incapable of offering meaningful leadership to their constituents or anyone for that matter, and is therefore in its familiar obstructionist mode with racism being its tool of choice,” the governing party said.

The PPP alluded to attempts to obstruct the PPP/C government’s housing drive at Amelia’s Ward in Linden, Region Ten and at Mocha Arcadia on the East Bank of Demerara are just a few examples of how they wanted the development to bypass certain communities so that they can continue to peddle false claims of discrimination.

“The blame for this worrying development should be laid squarely at the feet of PNC and Opposition Leader Mr. Aubrey Norton who has been unabatingly setting a tone of racism and aggression towards the legitimately elected government and its officials,” the Party noted.

The party calls on Civil Society and other national stakeholders, as well as all patriotic Guyanese at home and abroad to make their voices heard to Mr. Aubrey Norton and members of his “cabal,” on this most vexing and worrying matter of his racist and aggressive posture, and the subtle as well as overt messages he continues to send to his cabal and supporters against the duly elected Government and its functionaries, and against the national interest of the state.