MoTP rejects Opposition claims that the nation is not informed of President Granger’s whereabouts

Georgetown, Guyana (April 11, 2019) The Ministry of the Presidency rejects the malicious statements made by Opposition Member, Mr. Joseph Hamilton which suggests that the nation is not kept informed about the whereabouts of President David Granger and is unsure who is running the country in his absence.

Mr. Hamilton, who joined the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) presidential candidate, Mr. Irfaan Ali at a press conference, this afternoon, said, “Irfaan in his presentation, the earlier part of it, pointed to the despair that is upon this land at the moment and the question the media and the Guyanese people should ask ourselves at this juncture is, ‘Where is the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana?’ Is it a fair thing that we as citizens, are unable to even have the necessary information? A man is leading a ship, he is the captain and we are on the vessel and we don’t know where the captain can be found.”

The Ministry of the Presidency takes umbrage at Mr. Hamilton’s remarks and views them as yet another absurd attempt by the Opposition to spread fake news, to deceive the public and to foster distrust in the David Granger-led Administration.

The Ministry wishes to remind Mr. Hamilton that on every occasion that President Granger leaves the jurisdiction, the nation is informed on one or more of the Ministry’s platforms.   Upon the President’s return, the nation is also informed.

Last October, President Granger was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and since then has been undergoing medical treatment at the Centro de Investigaciones Medico Quirurgicas (CIMEQ) in the Republic of Cuba.  This is a known fact.

The Ministry of the Presidency, on April 2, 2019, indicated that President Granger and First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger departed Guyana for the Republic of Cuba, so that the President can continue his treatment.

Therefore, for Mr. Hamilton to tell the media today, “We don’t know whether he is here or somewhere else. Is it fair to this country? We must ask ourselves that question as citizens,” demonstrates clearly the mendacious propaganda of the People’s Progressive Party and its members.

Further, on every occasion prior to his return from treatment in the Republic of Cuba, Guyana’s Ambassador to Cuba, Halim Majeed issues a press statement, updating the nation on the President’s treatment and any engagements or activities that he undertook while in that country. All such statements are shared by the Ministry of the Presidency on one or more of its platforms.   The last such statement was issued on March 23, 2019.

In that statement, Ambassador Majeed reported that the President has successfully completed the first phase of his medical treatment in Cuba.   The Ambassador also relayed that the Cuban medical specialists who are overseeing President Granger’s medical care for that disease have expressed their full satisfaction with the President’s response to chemotherapy and his overall physical well-being.  The statement also said that “President Granger is expected to commence radiotherapy in early April 2019”.

Moreover, the Ministry of the Presidency, from the time of the President’s diagnosis last year has updated the nation of his departure and arrival to and from Cuba for treatment.

Additionally, as is customary, when the Head of State is out of the jurisdiction, the next in command is the Prime Minister.  In the event that the Prime Minister (Mr. Moses Nagamootoo) is out of the jurisdiction at the same time as the President, then the Second Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Carl Greenidge would perform the functions of President while the third Vice-President and Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan would perform the duties of Prime Minister.

The Ministry, therefore, views Mr. Hamilton’s remarks as malevolent and strongly encourages him to be truthful when making utterances in the public domain.