APNU takes jab at “shady Marriott deal”

Apr 05, 2013 News

By Abena Rockcliffe
As she sought to debunk the government’s claim that it is creating “a land of opportunity and prosperity for all,” A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Joan Baveghems rhetorically asked if that was the consideration when the government sealed the “shady Marriott (construction) deal” that provided not a single job opportunity for Guyanese youth.
Baveghems’ position was avowed as she delivered her contribution towards the budget debate in the latter part of yesterday afternoon.

MP Joan Baveghems during her presentation

The majority of her presentation was focused on the lack of provisions made in the budget for the elderly, poor and the youth.
According to the member, the consensus related to her by society’s youth is that “there was nothing in the budget for them.”
Baveghems alluded to a section of Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh’s budget presentation where he declared that “Looking ahead to 2013 and beyond, our Government’s policy agenda continues to be aimed at building a Guyana that is truly a land of opportunity and prosperity for all, and we will remain undaunted and unfazed in our quest to realize this vision”. She dubbed the utterances fallacious.
The APNU MP said that the Minister’s statements are far from reality; as if it was indeed sincere, the situation where no Guyanese are employed at the Marriot would not have existed.
She said the contract between the government of Guyana and the Chinese contactor was “shady” and added that it was signed “without consideration for the youth, yet the government says it cares.”
Baveghems said that “the entire situation” exists despite assurances by former president Bharrat Jagdeo that the Marriott would have created employment for “hundreds of Guyanese.”
She asked “how then will the youth of Guyana know that further incompetence will not continue and the government will not seal another lousy deal.”
After making those assertions, Baveghems, receiving tremendous support from the opposition side, moved to tackle “inadequate allocations to the elderly.”
To effectively register the hardships that senior citizens suffer, the member sought to note the length of time they are usually made to wait in long lines to collect their monies in “inadequate conditions.”
She further noted that the elderly are met with similar conditions when they go to the hospital “they have to wait long hours at the hospital then they are prescribed “Ibuprofen and Chlorophan.”
She reminded the National Assembly that “these (senior citizens) are the people who served and helped to build this country.”
The APNU representative once again sought to refer to the budget speech where the Minister said that the government is creating a Guyana where the elderly can retire into a comfort zone, and asked if the pavement in front of parliament, La Penitence Market, and other spots across Guyana are deemed comfort zones. She also asked if the guard huts that some occupy after retirement is also a comfort zone in the eyes of the government.
Baveghems then told the Finance Minister that if he plans to make increased allocations for pensioners as an amendment to the budget, he will have her support. With that, her fellow opposition members registered their resounding approval as they banged their hands on the desk.
She also asked that care homes for senior citizens be installed in Regions two five and 10.