In two separate statements, the main private sector agencies in the country slammed the Working People’s Alliance and its senior official Tacuma Ogunseye over statements that he made at a public meeting in Buxton last Thursday.

In its statement, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) described the statements by the longtime politician as “an undisguised, deliberate and ugly attempt to promote insurrection against the elected Government of the day”.

The PSC described the statement as another attempt by the Working People’s Alliance to pursue and advocate racial confrontation and conflict.

The PSC said the statement was “utterly irresponsible and completely reckless and must be rejected out of hand by every citizen of our country”.

The Private Sector Commission said it fully and unreservedly supports the condemnation of the statement by the President and the Attorney General, and calls upon the leadership of every political party in the country to condemn and reject the “political behaviour aimed at threatening the peace and security of our nation and to speak out with one voice against it”.

In its statement, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce said it has absolutely no tolerance for any agent or agency desirous of inciting racial tensions, hostility or ill-will against any person of a specific gender, class or race.

According to the GCCI, “it is disheartening and appalling to see a fossilized way of thinking being resurrected and urgings in the direction of sowing havoc, disharmony and the destabilization of our democracy. There is no place for this type of behaviour in the landscape of Guyana. The rule of law should be respected and obeyed by all citizens”.

During a public meeting in the East Coast community of Buxton, the WPA official made comments about mass protests against the governing People’s Progressive Party and support from the Joint Services for such protests, because of the ethnic make up of the joint services.

The remarks triggered its first condemndation from the Chairman of the Joint Services, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, who reminded that the Joint Services remain an apolitical institution.

Since then, President Irfaan Ali and the Attorney General Anil Nandlall have slammed the WPA official for the statement and have also called out the Leader of the Opposition for not condemning the statements, although he spoke at the same public meeting.

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