Rohee does not believe corruption is a concern among PPP supporters

By Kurt Campbell

[www.inewsguyana.com] – General Secretary of the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Clement Rohee says Party members are getting set to fan out across coastal and hinterland regions in coming weeks as its election campaign heats up.

However, while reflecting on political meetings at the end of 2014, the PPP GS said support was shown for the President’s decision to prorogue Parliament but said no concerns were raised with respect to corruption within the public sector and government.

“The PPP is encouraged by the support the Party has received from members and supporters during outreaches conducted at the end of last year,” Rohee told reporters during his weekly press conference on Monday, January 19.

He said the PPP will soon recommence countrywide outreaches with a series of bottom house meetings including community and walk about activities.

Only this weekend, PPP member, Kwame McCoy said that the perception of corruption within the government may have contributed to the PPP’s abysmal performance at the 2011 elections but according to Rohee this does not seem to be an issue among its membership and supporters.

“The corruption issue from our supporters, no… not as far as I am aware, but you will recall that the Party did initiate a television program on corruption and it did attract a large viewership.”

Rohee said anyone who has evidence of corruption is encouraged to bring it to the attention of law enforcement.

Only today, Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy here, Bryan Hunt is reported in a local daily to have said that the issue of the perception of corruption needs to be addressed as it hinders development.

With Guyana continuing to be listed in the very corrupt category in Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perceptions Index, he explained that the perception of corruption, whether it is objectively true or not, impedes businesses’ willingness to invest and causes lack of confidence in the government among the electorate.

Rohee maintained that “the mood of people was one of optimism with encouraging signs that the PPP will win a comfortable majority of the votes whenever elections are held thereby being in a much better position to continue with its developmental agenda without hindrance from opposition.”

He said during the meetings, supporters pledged their continued support to the Party and committed to working to ensure a victory for the Party at elections expected later this year.