Guyana’s Minister of Governance Gail Teixeira has written to the US Congress and the international community expressing concern about statements made against the PPP Government at a recent Brooklyn rally which was hosted by the New York-based group, Guyanese Organizations Against Racism.

The rally which was backed by the APNU+AFC Opposition highlighted alleged acts of racism and discrimination by the PPP Civic Government.

The Government appears upset with the rally and how it was portrayed by the speakers, which included several members of Guyana’s parliamentary opposition and top-ranking US Congressman Hackeem Jeffries.

In her letter to the US Congress, the international community, and members of the local Diplomatic Corps, Minister Teixeira described the march and rally as racist while claiming that the APNU+AFC opposition which supported the Brooklyn rally is turning to race to attack the government.

In the letter, she stated that “The PNC dominated APNU+AFC Coalition is in tatters. Race is the last desperate thing that they have in opposition to hold onto. This they have used to divide the nation and increase ethnic insecurities at each stage of Guyana’s history for the last 29 years whenever there is a chance, an opportunity for the country and the people to move forward and thrive.  Their history of destruction, obstruction, anti-nationalism, and division has not changed.”

The Governance Minister said the rally was full of misinformation and race-baiting and sought to give assurances that the PPP Civic government has been fair to all since taking office last August.

“APNU+AFC Coalition continues to peddle these untruths on a daily basis with the objectives of causing division and strife and to destabilize the government’s Plan for Prosperity which is rapidly unfolding before our people’s eyes”, Teixeira complained.

She also accused the former APNU+AFC government of carrying out a ‘blatant racist policy” during its time in office.

The Minister in her letter made reference to the firing of public servants in 2015 when the APNU+AFC took office.

The PPP Government has also been accused of firing hundreds of public servants after it took office last year and that was one of the issues highlighted at the New York anti-racism rally.

The Governance Minister said the PPP/C government led by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, is the legitimate government of the country on behalf of all the people.

She said the international community organisations have all recognised the legitimacy of the government based on the final declarations of the elections. The Minister complained that the former Government has lost the moral authority to lecture anyone on the law, constitution and customs and practices, and on race.

The Government issued at least two other statements about the Brooklyn rally in the past two weeks, including one from the President and the Prime Minister.

The group which organised the Brooklyn rally plans to keep similar rallies in a number of other US cities where there is a large Guyanese population.

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