Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Nicholas Fredericks
However, while heading to the podium, a small number of opposition leaders refused to stand.
The NTC Chairman said the opposition’s action was disrespectful.
“We are here for a conference. It is protocol that when His Excellency, for any country, gets up to make a presentation that we all stand. He is still our President. No one else was sworn in. He is our Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana,” Fredericks emphasised.
President Granger meeting with a few Amerindian leaders on Monday at State House.
He said for the Opposition to be sitting while “the Indigenous Peoples” were standing, leaves much to be desired.
“What message is that sending to us? To me, it is a sign of disrespect to the executive leader of our country.”
The NTC chair also chided the opposition politicians for circulating invitations to an Opposition Leader reception, when the Head of State had extended an invitation for an event on Monday evening at State House.
He got a ‘yes’ when he called on the Toshaos to attend the president’s reception
Amerindian leaders at the Opposition Leader’s office, Church Street on Monday evening.
Both the Government and the Opposition posted photos afterwards of Amerindians at separate functions hosted by President Granger and Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo respectively.
“Don’t let us be divided. I know we all have our political affiliation, but when we come to the conference here, we come as one people and we are going one way,” Fredericks stated.
Comments
Political protocol here.!!
A bit of “pettiness” and “cherrypicking”
Maybe a bit of childishness on part of
opposition.
As teenagers remember sitting it out in
cinema (bug house) during “god save
the queen” before film in BG days.
A bit of overreacting also.
Guyana’s politricks today !
Kamtan
There is no overreacting here: Mr. Fredericks is right on point. There are three ways to describe the opposition members reaction: immature, disrespectful or both. The respect is accorded not necessarily to the “man” but more so to the office…The Presidency. Then the whole idea of scheduling a reception for the attendees at the same time the President did is political crassitude as it clearly was an attempt to upend the presidential reception. Moreover, it was most politically foolish to create a split among the Toshaos: For one, it smears the opposition with divisiveness: Two, it results in less ears for the opposition to push its message. There are winners and losers here: The President and Toshao Fredericks are the winners. The opposition are the miserable losers. It can’t be otherwise.
Interesting take ….
If the office of President is sanctimonious
..Royal or Godly. It is not either.
Presidents are democratically elected
politically ….Royals and Gods are not.
The president gets his powers from the
electorate the other two not.
However I do agree that the behaviour
of those in attendance was childish.
If they wished to protest they should
not have attended.
My take
There is a time and place for showing
political discord.
Kamtan
Ps thanks for the points raised but
the conclusion is slightly biased…in my opinion.