PNC calls for probe into allegations in CANA report
The PNC has called on the Commissioner of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions to mount a full-scale investigation into charges made against a number of government ministers and high officials. The allegations are contained in a recording reportedly made by Andrew Douglas, who has been charged with several armed robberies and has been linked to slain armed robber, Linden London. The PNC has also called on the Commissioner of Police and the Director of Prisons to ensure that Douglas comes to no harm, since he had expressed fear for his safety when he appeared in court on March 21. At a press conference at his party's Congress Place headquarters yesterday, PNC leader, Desmond Hoyte SC, said "these allegations are, therefore, sufficiently serious and specific to warrant investigation. Indeed the Commissioner of Police ought already to have mounted such an investigation." Hoyte claimed that the tape discloses "the names of governmental accomplices, gives details of where and by whom he [Douglas] and London were accommodated, provides dates and particulars of contracts, payment of money and telephone contacts and tells a reasonable, coherent and credible story." He said that "having regard to the gravity of the allegations and the compelling nature of the initial evidence... the people of this country deserve no less than such an enquiry... to allay public anxieties, and restore some measure of confidence in public administration and the severely damaged Police Force." Hoyte described as "PPP dotishness," what the PPP called "the public outrage [against his] glorification of the dead bandit [London]. "In the first place as far as the allegations of 'public outrage' against the PNC leader are concerned, the PPP can continue to deceive itself. The 25,000 supporters (according to the count of the state-owned GBC and the police) who attended the PNC Flag Raising ceremony on the night of Tuesday, March 22, 2000 at the Square of the Revolution in solidarity with the party and its leader provide the most cogent refutation of this PPP dotishness and a complete answer to the outrage thesis." Hoyte said that he had gone to the Square of the Revolution to view London "not to defend any criminal enterprise in which London might have been involved." He said he was there to "register a protest against the manner of his killing, which was indefensible in the circumstances." However, he said, he hoped that the attack would not affect the cordial relations between the two parties in relation to the constitution reform process. Referring to a statement by the Guyana Information Services which called for CANA to apologise for the news release, Hoyte said that agency should be zealous about its integrity and defend its correspondent here "who did a professional job." PPP condemns Hoyte's charges The PPP/Civic has strongly condemned what it calls vulgar abuse of government's ministers by PNC leader, Desmond Hoyte. A Freedom House statement issued yesterday, supporting the government's demand for an apology from the Caribbean News Agency, said that Hoyte's wild charges and vulgar abuse were another embarrassment for the rank and file members of his party. "The latest crazed statement by Hoyte in which he attacked government ministers has confirmed his growing problem over his suitability for leadership." The statement said that Hoyte's "credibility has taken an irreversible plunge as he now relies on a 'voice' for information to assail the PPP." The statement said Hoyte had vindicated the charge that CANA acted "irresponsibly in linking state officials with the deceased criminal 'Blackie'," adding that "in his own words, Hoyte admitted that the CANA report did not say that these allegations were true."
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