The administration is exhibiting an increasingly controlling posture

Sep 12, 2010 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

The AFC met on Friday September 3rd with members of the visiting International team of experts assigned by the Norwegian Government to assess Norway’s environmental initiatives here in Guyana. They were here in Guyana on a fact-finding mission. Mr Ramjattan and Ms Sheila Holder, Chair and Vice Chair respectively of the AFC, met with Mr Hardcastle, Ms Davenport, and Ms Phillipa at the Cara Lodge.

At the said meeting, the AFC emphasized that the Jagdeo Administration is exhibiting an increasingly controlling posture, doing very little to curb rampant corruption in all quarters of Government, and to veer away from obvious nepotism so flagrant in contract awarding and land deals. The promise for years now, which is not being kept, concerning Freedom of Information and Broadcasting legislation was argued by the leaders as an exhibition of the PPP’s Government adherence of their Communistic and Marxist/Leninist ideals as enshrined in the Party’s constitution.

The demand was made that any monies given by the Norwegians to the Government of Guyana, apart from being strictly monitored by the World Bank, must also suffer an additional Parliamentary scrutiny. Moreover, projects which these monies are to be directed towards must find consensus among the Peoples’ representatives, and not simply the Cabinet making the decisions as to where they should go.

A review of Outreach visits

The outreach activities of the AFC have been ongoing over the last four years with emphasis being placed on sections of all ten regions of the country. The party’s objectives in expanding our support are based on the belief that it would be futile to appear a few months before national elections to campaign in the hope of gaining the people’s support. Consequently, the AFC has been building a relationship with the people by enlisting members, providing representation and assistance where possible in fulfilling the desire of Guyanese for self reliance to improve the quality of their lives.

In this regard we have established a ‘heifer project’ in some Region No. 9 villages with the donation of several cows that see each one of those villages selecting a deserving family to receive a heifer when one is dropped. The objective here is to assist our members and supporters to improve the nutritional needs of their families. The party has also been encouraging competitive sports among hinterland youths, through donations of sports gear.

Over the last few weeks our leaders, Members of Parliament and activists have held meetings and visited Moruca, Annai, villages on the EBD and in Mahdia for the purpose of providing urgent relief to the devastated fire victims. Last week as a result of a well-advertised scheduled AFC outreach activity in WCB, President Jagdeo paid an unscheduled visit to the region causing our activists to reschedule our visit to later this month. On Tuesday last the entire leadership of the party was in Linden to address concerns of our members and supporters.

A significant event on the calendar of the AFC will be the observation of the party’s fifth anniversary on October 29. You will be hearing more on this programme, which is currently being arranged.