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Gov’t. plagued by epidemic of public protests
As he contended that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration has been plagued by an epidemic of public protests since the December 2011 general elections, Leader of the Opposition, David Granger has also concluded that this may not stop if Government continues to ignore the plight of its electorate.
David Granger, Leader of the Opposition
Granger made this statement during his weekly press conference which was held yesterday at his Hadfield Street Office.
Accompanying the Opposition Leader were his Shadow Minister of Public Works, Joseph Harmon and Ronald Bulkan, Shadow Minister of Local Government.
In his opening statement, Granger said that the frequency, intensity and variety of the protests would suggest that there is a simmering but sustained dissatisfaction with the performance of the Government on several issues.
He highlighted that as it relates to Amerindian land problems , protestors from four Regions which includes; The Barima Waini (Region One ), Pomeroon Supenaam (Region Two), Cuyuni Mazaruni (Region Seven ) came to protest in front of the Parliament in August 2013 to express their concern about land issues, including titling and conflicts with miners.
Granger also reminded of other protests which were on issues relating to the Agriculture sector. He said, “President Donald Ramotar and his two Ministers of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Ali Baksh had to dash to the Essequibo Coast on July 13. This followed a scathing press conference by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on the plight of paddy farmers. Hundreds of paddy farmers had protested on the roadway for the fifth time this year to call attention to their grievances.”
As he elaborated on several other instances where citizens protested on the basis of public infrastructure problems, education and public security troubles as well as challenges with public policy, he said that the protests are simply becoming the only means of attracting the attention of the Government to public problems. “Protests also suggest that the PPP/C Administration will continue to ignore complaints from local communities until public embarrassment forces it to act,” the Brigadier added.
Bulkan in support of Granger said that what is surprising is the response of the Government to the cascade of protests. He said the party resorts to accusing the opposition of opposing the development of the country.
Harmon stated that it is the PPP which is bankrupt of ideas for developing this country.
However, when asked by media operatives whether the Opposition can feel justified in making comparisons, as it relates to the protests under the rule of the PPP when a similar display occurred under the PNC, Granger said, “There is no comparison really.”
“The PNC entered office in 1994 and at that time there was no airport you can speak of, and there is one now, the multilateral schools were built by the PNC, the NIS that’s now being ruined… The first ten years of the PNC administration were really the foundation of the modern Guyanese State…”
“I don’t want to make a comparison between those two historical periods…protests did arise due to the implications of an oil crisis in that time but today we have leaders who are only committed to self enrichment and people are expecting betterment in certain services and they are not getting it…The PNC cared and we are not seeing that level of concern for the people as displayed by us… I have never seen under the PNC this level of poverty and destitution that is under the PPP rule…,” Granger concluded.
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