“Govt does not condone terrorism” – Director-General of MoTP, Harmon

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, May 2, 2019

The government’s stance on terrorism remains firm, and it will not countenance or condone such actions in any way, said Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon at a post-Cabinet press conference hosted today.

The newly appointed Director-General was responding to questions fielded by media operatives relating to the government’s response to the reactions from several countries about a motion honouring the parliamentary work of the late Abdul Kadir.

The former Member of Parliament and one-time Linden Mayor was convicted and sentenced to serve life imprisonment by the United States Government after being entrapped in a plot to explode pipelines at the John F. Kennedy Airport.

DG Harmon made it clear that the motion, for which an explanation was already given, was intended to honour Kadir, who served in the Parliament, “and nothing before or after that.”

He added, “the world will see that the government has taken a principled stand on this matter and that to actually attach any honouring of terrorists is something far removed from what our record in the government has been.”

The Director-General reminded that when the Coalition Government took office, it passed the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Terrorism Financing Legislation which stipulates the death penalty for persons convicted of terrorism.

“We have done very serious reviews of our laws to ensure that we send a very clear message, not only to foreign countries but to persons within Guyana, that are affected by the law, that any actions which run counter to the law will be dealt with in a serious manner.”

The government’s credentials, DG Harmon said, reflects the very strong way in which it deals with terrorism, “and many countries in the region have commended us for the strong, strident manner in which we have dealt with this particular piece of legislation, and which we continue to do in the reviews that are taking place.”

The fact that the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams SC., is about to embark on a visit overseas to participate in a review process of the CFATF commitment, Harmon added, indicates how serious the administration views these illegal actions.

He reiterated, “As a government, we make it very clear that we do not condone or countenance terrorist activity.”

The government, in a statement, said the motion was in keeping with the norms and practice of the National Assembly.

“It is well known that there is a time-honoured convention of the National Assembly to observe, in a standard and solemn form, the work of former Members who are deceased. The observance of this tradition has never been selective, and has included, over the decades, persons of all political parties and persuasions who served in the National Assembly.”

However, it added that it regrets the interpretation given to the motion passed in the National Assembly on the death of Kadir as a Member of Parliament.

Paul Mc Adam.

Images: Giovanni Gajie.