Corbin's visit to Taiwan…
PNCR lashes out at Govt., Luncheon
Kaieteur News
August 6, 2004
PNCR Chairman, Vincent Alexander has described statements that the party may have received money from Taiwan as "the height of presumptuousness."
"PNCR is not in receipt of any monies from Taiwan... the statements are the height of presumptuousness," Alexander said, yesterday, at the Opposition party's weekly press briefing.
Alexander stressed that despite what people may think or say, Opposition Leader, Robert Corbin's trip to Taiwan was not a state visit.
He added that while Corbin may share his Taiwan experience at the upcoming Congress, the party stands by the statement that the visit was a private one.
Corbin's recent trip to Taiwan has been the subject of much criticism recently. Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon on Wednesday, described the timing of the visit as offensive and questioned the motive for the trip. He said Corbin's visit has much similarity with "unethical and recurrent behaviour of regional personalities/political parties to ingratiate themselves with the Taiwanese regime."
"One can only wonder about the details and motives of Mr. Corbin's trip and particularly to note how offensive his timing was," Luncheon said.
Offering Cabinet's position of Corbin's announcement of the visit "in his private capacity," Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon said that in the context of the excellent relationship between the Peoples' Republic of China and Guyana, Cabinet is "unconvinced about the reasons/motives given."
The Chinese Embassy has also criticised the visit.
But PNCR Parliamentarian, Derek Bernard noted that Dr Luncheon's recent statement seeks to cast aspersions. "No one in Government has any moral authority to decide when a private visit to any country is bad timing or otherwise," Bernard declared.
He further dubbed Luncheon's recent statements as "a diversion tactic often used by the Government whenever the opposition leader goes overseas."