…now says he was referring to political appointees
PEOPLE’S Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) member, Bishop Juan Edghill, has switched his position on his party’s intention to fire public servants who were appointed after the December 21, 2018 no-confidence motion.
Edghill, on Wednesday, was heard and seen on a video programme on Facebook saying that public servants whose contracts were recently renewed, and any appointments post December 21, 2018, the individuals will have sleepless nights, and will be issued notices by the PPP/C.
However, via a press statement issued on Friday, the Bishop said that his remarks are being peddled maliciously.
He said that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) has lost these Elections and in an effort to bury the results of the recount process, “they are deliberating obfuscating issues and spreading propaganda.”
“I never attacked or threatened public servants. I maintain that public servants have nothing to worry about and nothing to fear from a PPP/C Government. Our professionals are valuable and important. However, the “political appointees” in the Ministries and Agencies who have recently renewed contracts should be put on notice that this is improper, unconstitutional and unlawful. I reiterate that it is wrong to tie a new Government down with clauses in new contracts to pay tax dollars to political operatives whose services would have concluded. In my comments, I was referring specifically to political appointees,” Edghill said in his statement.
It further outlined that in contrast, persons appointed by the Public Service Commission have security of tenure and function under different arrangements.
“So that is a separate matter. It is not surprising that the ones who are benefitting from these renewed contracts are peddling lies and misinformation daily. Public servants, who professionally execute their functions and mandate, will continue to do so freely. That is to say, public servants irrespective of race, age, gender, ethnicity, class and political affiliation, will work and benefit under a PPP/C Government. Our manifesto outlines betterment for all Guyanese, inclusive of and specifically for, Guyana’s public servants,” Edghill remarked.
The position of the Guyana Elections Commission on the results of the March 2 elections is not yet known to the public, but the PPP/C is operating on a self-proclaimed victory.
Meanwhile, the APNU+AFC maintains that only GECOM can pronounce on the outcome, and so the public is being urged to remain calm while GECOM performs its legal duty.
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_e-paper_6-14-2020