AFC Leader Raphael Trotman defends Volda Lawrence
Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Raphael Trotman last weekend stood by Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, who has stated her preference to hire only Peoples National Congress (PNC) members.
In the statement issued by the AFC, Trotman did not name Lawrence, the PNC Chair, or offer an outright rejection of her comments. “We believe that the PNC Chairs widely reported statements were made in the aftermath of the hotly contested Local Government Elections and have created an unnecessary distraction at this time”, Trotman stated. Lawrence is facing mounting criticisms for declaring her intention to give work to only party supporters and friends. She made the comments during an address of the partys Region Four District Conference at Congress Place. “The only friends I got is PNC so the only people, I gon give wuk to is PNC and right now, I looking for a doctor who can talk Spanish or Portuguese and ah want one that is PNC”, Lawrence is quoted. Lawrence has not denied making the statements publicly and is yet to address the issue frontally.
“The Chair, I as Leader have known and worked closely with for 25 years and has never shown racial or political partisanship, but in fact, has worked tirelessly, as a politician and as a minister of government for the betterment of people of all walks of life and all backgrounds”, Trotman said. The AFC pointed out that they are part of the Coalition with A Partnership for National Unity based on the Cummingsburg Accord. In the Accord, the AFC said it jointly subscribe to pursue a common vision and pathway that put Guyana and all Guyanese first, without a resort to discrimination or favouritism in any form. “We look to President David Granger, in particular, to articulate that vision on behalf of government and his party, and most recently, this was done at the Biennial Delegates Congress of the PNC”, Trotman stated. Trotman stated that the AFCs position on equality is well known and recently restated, whereby the AFC believes in and espouses equal opportunity for all Guyanese, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, political persuasion or sexual orientation. “The AFC believes that all Guyanese are entitled to share equally in the benefits of the state”, Trotman noted.
(Kaieteur News)