PNCR tells OAS’s Ramdin about Jagdeo’s ‘malicious’ statements

Deputy Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin paid a courtesy call on PNCR Leader Robert Corbin yesterday and was apprised of the party’s concerns about recent statements made by President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Corbin, also the Leader of the Opposition, took the opportunity to brief the OAS official on what he termed the “malicious” statements made by President Jagdeo at Babu John, Port Mourant on Sunday.

Accompanying Corbin at the meeting yesterday were PNCR Presidential Candidate, David Granger and General Secretary,  Oscar Clarke, a PNCR press release stated.

The OAS Secretary General was briefed on the PNCR’s recently concluded Special Delegates Congress at which Granger was democratically elected as the PNCR’s Presidential Candidate for the upcoming General and Regional Elections.

The release said further that Corbin took the opportunity to brief the OAS official on the recent malicious statements made by President  Jagdeo at Babu John, Port Mourant during the PPP’s annual observance of the passing of President Cheddi Jagan.

Corbin also expressed the view that such statements are provocative and could re-ignite racial conflicts, pointing out that “this is not the first occasion on which the Head of State used a public forum to make wild accusations, maliciously misinterpret events and mislead the public thereby promoting social instability.”

Corbin also revealed that sections of society and specific communities have already complained of racial tensions since the Head of State’s pronouncements at Babu John.

Meanwhile, PNCR Presi-dential Candidate Granger also opined that “such irresponsible and uninformed statements by the Head of State could have serious national consequences after years of relative calm.”

Ramdin was not fully aware of the statements attributed to the president at Babu John but promised to fully study them, the release said.

The Deputy Secretary General pointed out that the OAS is always concerned about any statement that may incite racism and social instability, noting that such statements could cause serious problems especially in an election period.

Other issues discussed with the OAS Deputy Secretary General were the 2011 General and Regional Elections, including the need to ensure that the Registration Exercise does not result in the disenfranchisement of legitimate electors as well as the composition and legitimacy of the Ethnic Relations Com-mission (ERC), the release concluded.