Put the people first, thank you!

Apr 15, 2013 Letters

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Dear Editor,
In recent days, there has been much talk coming from some circles about the AFC being in collaboration with the APNU. This untruth must be rejected. It is the practice of many who are thinking about the future of the AFC, when faced with such cross road moments, that we return to the original writings of the late Ms. Sheila Holder, the mother of the party.
On June 26th, 2011, Ms. Holder co-authored an article with Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan captioned the “AFC – the Right Choice for Guyana.”  What they said in that article remains one of the party’s valued treasures.  They said “… it is in the best interest of the party as well as the Guyanese people that it (AFC) refrains from joining a coalition of convenience (APNU, then called JOPP)”.
Very telling words from two Guyanese patriots debunking the unfettered propaganda of those who are comfortable with dividing the people along racial lines.
The last time I checked, the AFC is not in politics for any coalitions of convenience but to institute revolutionary changes in the way we govern ourselves and in the art of national development.
Please permit me to fast forward to 2013, as the AFC engages the APNU on a professional, arms-length basis on a particular issue of national importance – the Budget. Working on this issue of common interest, does not provide sufficient logical or valid political reasons for the AFC to form any political union with the APNU, or any other party for that matter.
The AFC core identity remains the “construction and administering of a just society within a framework of meaningful participation by all” and it is my considered view that because of their ethnic politics, neither the PPP nor the APNU can provide the opportunities the AFC is seek; one Guyana.
Therefore, the pure and naked propaganda emanating from the PPP media houses as they run into overdrive broadcasting their political playbook of fear politics, is only undermining the political work of the Government of the day.
This grand design by desperate politicians to divide the Guyanese minds into racial silos has one objective in mind; the opportunistic preservation of the PPP’s squander-maniac hegemony over other people’s money, with no regard for the political, economic and social harm such an archaic political strategy can unleash on the people.
Why the AFC must work with the APNU and the PPP on this 2013 Budget
1. To bring reason to the nation’s public expenditures; (meaning rationalize the Public Sector Investment Program by spending within our means and enticing more private sector investments in the capital project, and boost public operational efficiency to better serve the people);
2. To influence corrective measures in an environment where the PPP has exposed the population to the biggest Budget Deficit ever and the largest Guyana dollar Debt ever (mis-allocations of elements of the capital budget that offers inadequate returns for loans borrowed in the names of the Guyanese children must be disallowed);
3. To charter a more evolved human development course that will benefit all Guyanese; not just the newly evolved haute couture class.
The AFC does not have any personal vendetta against any Government or any political party or their operatives.   As a political party that represents the interests of all classes of people, it is in the best interest of the AFC that it stands ready to negotiate with reason with any political party; be it the PPP or APNU, once the outcome is GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF GUYANA.
To this end, the leaders of the AFC have advised that the 2013 National Budget is not GOOD FOR GUYANA in the form originally presented by the Minister of Finance. It was Mr. Ramjattan who acknowledged that there are some good things in the 2013 Budget and I might venture to add that I am impressed with the Women of Worth Project; efforts to construct the synthetic Athletic Track at Leonora and the warm-up pool at Liliandaal, among others.
But likewise, many in the AFC found that there are too many “pork barrel” projects and unsatisfactory job creation measures to bring economic relief to the poor and the vulnerable.  Since the bill for the developmental antics found in the 2013 Budget will be laid squarely at the feet of the taxpayers, it remains a deep national concern.
Projects like the Airport Expansion Project just do not pass the economic sanity test and is rich evidence of a case of throwing away good taxpayers money behind a badly conceived project.  Yes, we are all for extending the runway and parking aprons, but why destroy the billions spent a few years ago to refurbish and expand the terminal?
If we want to transform Guyana, could this money not be better spent starting works on the MMA Phase II Project, releasing more land so we can feed the Caribbean?  This is our competitive advantage – large scale modern agriculture using modern technology; have we abandoned it?
A great starting point to return to our core values is to update the National Development Strategy; a request made by Ms. Holder.  This was not a thoughtless request; it was designed to secure the buy-in of all stakeholders into cultivating a common strategy supported by all that will overcome the developmental challenges facing the nation.
The Marriot will not save Guyana, the farmers,  miners and the emerging technologies will! It is clear from their public policy that the PPP alone does not have a monopoly on the cutting edge ideas of how to develop Guyana and likewise the majority opposition.  But a combination of the forces and the meeting of the minds will move mountains.
Thus the mature advice of Cde Moses Nagamootoo behind the formation of a temporary National Front Government to write a new Constitution as advanced by Mr. Nigel Hughes. These are practical and serious proposals that can advance the Guyanese cause, but it will entail a revolution in how we do business going forward.  That is why all this propaganda has to be peddled.  The optimal option is look down on all of us but the powerful have chosen instead to continue to get fat off the taxpayers following an unsustainable development model of “tax and spend”.
It is not my place to tell you the readers how to think, you will read and decide whether the call from Ms. Holder, Mr. Ramjattan, Cde. Nagamootoo and Mr. Hughes are just and patriotic and then make your decision in the next General Elections.
The AFC business at this time is to offer reasoned counter-proposals and this is exactly what the party has done with the recommendations for the rationalization of the 2013 Budget.  If the Government can present reasoned explanations on the issues highlighted by the AFC, then there is no reason for the PPP to have any political paranoia.   So this irresponsible behavior resonating from the political operatives within the PPP to paint the AFC as unreasonable and in collaboration with the APNU is most dishonest and unfortunate since it denies the Government that golden opportunity to lead and engage in National Development.
The AFC is answerable first to the cane cutters, mine workers, nurses, teachers, public servants, the unemployed mothers and housewives.  Thus the AFC will do nothing to hurt these people and thus our reason to continue to dialogue with the Government and the APNU to reach common ground in the best interest of the people.
That is why the AFC has no other choice but to support the $1 billion for Guysuco and the temporary billions for Linden electricity since both the sugar and bauxite belt can be aptly described as poverty zones as a result of the “Poor Public Policy” unleashed on these industries by the Government.
As the sugar and bauxite belt sinks, we cannot continue to offer our best friend 80% of the medical supplies contracts on a non-competitive basis with a price tag of $3.4 billion per year, only to find out that the same drugs can be bought at Latchmansingh Drug Store at one sixth of the price the taxpayers are being asked to pay.  We cannot deny Stabroek News, Kaiteur News and Enrico Woolford, all seasoned media professionals – radio licences but offer media novices five radio frequencies each with their sole qualification being “is me’ friend”, “is me’ family”,  “is me’ party”.  These attributes are characteristics of a political crab.  Such persons should be banished to an Ashram to seek the true meaning of “services to the people”. The cause of the political war in Guyana is principally as a result of these abuses of power and they must be resolved to the benefit of ALL the Guyanese people.
It is time these dialogues evolve to the pertinent issues such as:
· A new Constitution;
· Reduction of the national debt; saving our children from a dishonorable future;
· Re-establishment of good governance; starting with the IMMEDIATE establishment of the Public Procurement Commission;
· Greater accountability on the “lumpy”, mega project by regularizing all of them in PARLIAMENT;
· Returning Guyana to an environment that respects the rule of law by safeguarding the independence of the JUDICIARY, the DPP Chambers and the POLICE from the EXECUTIVE;
· Re-establishing an environment where commerce can thrive but with a conscience and the art of politics can be practiced with principles;
· A review of the oppressive TAX REGIME by the Clifford Reis Commission to make it more broad based, equitable and efficient; thus bringing greater relief to the working poor.
This is my personal appeal to all those around the table.  Put Guyana first.
Sasenarine Singh

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