| “….elements of rejected USAID project seek to usurp its authority”- Dr Luncheon Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon,Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, has lashed out at US Ambassador D. Brent Hardt over comments he would have made with regard to the USAID Project that had been rejected by Cabinet.US Ambassador to Guyana,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, D Brent HardtLuncheon in his post cabinet press briefing held yesterday at Office of the President, said the US Ambassador’s comments were arrogant and contentious.He said Cabinet reviewed the status and the current developments regarding the Ambassador’s implementation of the rejected project.“Cabinet felt that the Ambassador’s public comments were arrogant, contentious and those utterances that the US Ambassador made indicating that notwithstanding a rejection, a disapproval of the USAID project that they intend to and are implementing the project, is really of severe significance.”According to Dr Luncheon, Cabinet is even more perturbed by the Ambassador’s delay in responding to a formal,Anthony Steen Dolphins Jersey, written request for the clarification from the US authorities with regard to the disapproval of the project and taking into account the public response in the exclusive interview with Stabroek News.In that article the US Ambassador made public his intention to ignore and disregard Cabinet’s disapproval. Dr Luncheon said too that the Ambassador accused the administration of falsehood and that there was consultation with the Government of Guyana.Dr Luncheon said the project was conceived and designed, and a contractor procured to implement all before approaching the Guyana Government. He said that on obtaining the details of the tendering process for the International Republican Institute to implement the project, the US Ambassador’s assertion will be tested.He underscored that this information would in fact confirm that the project was completed long before it was presented to the administration.Asked why it is mandatory for USAID to have Cabinet’s blessings before proceeding with such a project, Dr Luncheon explained that this is so because their presence is based on an agreement.“This is nothing earth-shattering… any country in which they operate in it is based on an agreement that mutually recognizes our obligations under the agreement.”Dr Luncheon was asked if Government will press for the recall of the Ambassador or ask the IRI members to leave the country, he said “Cabinet has not explored this what if scenario”He pointed to the ‘note verbale’ which was sent to the US State Department which seeks to obtain a formal indication from the US authorities over what the Ambassador had undertaken to get done, “we want it in writing.”Dr Luncheon added, “I do believe if such were provided, one would now readily resort to the agreement.This,Wholesale Jerseys 2018, he said, would be the early if not only resort to the agreement to see if provision is made for the Ambassador or USAID to operate independently and there is no need for agreements.“I think for us, really for us what is alarming; what is unacceptable, we haven’t gotten a written response and we were provided with an exclusive interview.”Dr Luncheon reminded that the presence of USAID in Guyana is subject to terms and conditions of agreement.Asked specifically what was in the project that the Government objects to apart from the process,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, he pointed to a policy of the administration to provide support for political parties,Stitched Jerseys, including the opposition.He said that the four components of the projects were analyzed by Cabinet and one contained major activities that captured a relationship between USAID and individual political parties in Guyana. This he said was a source of concern, given that Guyana does not have a public policy by government for the support for political parties.He said that there is nothing like that in the law nor in practice and the Americans through the project “invited a profoundly sensitive issue.”Dr Luncheon said that this is something that has not been dealt with by any post-independent Guyana Government and further “for us represented a usurpation of our authority.”He said that this was drawn to the attention of USAID which was asked to make the overtures and activities to be a relationship between institutions such as Parliament or the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and not parties. |
