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The Guyana Press Association (GPA) and the ruling Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) appear to have launched a verbal battle with both entities leveling allegations of intimidation, threats and race baiting.Freedom House’s Media Coordinator, Mahendra Romel Roopnarine in a strongly worded missive on behalf of the party sought to castigate President of the Guyana Press Association, Gordon Moseley.President of the Guyana Press Association Gordon MoseleyRoopnarine, who is listed on the Office of the President’s payroll as “Press Undersecretary, OPL” earning some $395,000 said, “it is now clear that at least the President of the Guyana Press Association Mr. Gordon Moseley is not interested in pursuing the facts and transgressions of certain individuals in society”.Moseley as GPA President has issued and placed on record what he called the Association taking notice of   “a troubling trend by the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic to issue threats and make baseless accusations against members of the private media and try to intimidate private and independent journalists and media workers”.Mosley, at the time said that the press association “condemns this most cowardly rhetoric and has taken note of the most recent press release from the PPP and its Public Relations Officer, Mahendra Romel Roopnarine accusing media workers and media houses of being racist in their coverage of the Linden protests without providing any shred of supporting evidence.”Moseley had intimated that “We put the Guyana Government and the ruling Peoples’ Progressive Party Civic and any other party that may be thinking of making threats, on notice that they will be held accountable should any harm come to any journalist whether in the state or private media, because of this latest threat and other threats made by Government and Party functionaries”.He had contended also that “The personal attack against journalists is a well known and detestable way to build an enemy that does not exist and may expose those persons to reprisals”.In a direct message to Head of State Donald Ramotar and the PPP, Mosley notes “that the Guyana Press Association takes this dubious ploy of yours seriously and will inform Regional and International Press groups about this latest development”.PPP’s Media Coordinator Romel RoopnarineRoopnarine fired back at the GPA President saying that “It is worthy to note that a responsible Press Association would have ascertained the facts before rushing to issue such a brash, illogical and insensitive response as characterized by that of Mr. Moseley…I however remain convinced that the actions of these individuals does not highlight a shared or common approach by all members of the media, as there are a number of responsible journalists operating in all of the local media houses.”