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EU’s withholding of funds to Guyana…Finance Minister calls Granger ‘unpatriotic’ for commending decision
Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh said he finds it disturbing that the main opposition Party would laud the European Union (EU) for withholding critical funding to Guyana, a GINA release stated yesterday.
Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh
According to the release, “while addressing a gathering at the commissioning ceremony for the GuyOil Regent Street facility this afternoon, Dr. Singh noted that the sentiments of the opposition which were carried in the Kaieteur News can be seen as unpatriotic.
“How can one describe as a patriotic leader and yet commend an international agency for denying financial inflow that will redound to the benefit to the people of the country?”
The Minister added that comments like these worry him since it does not matter which side of the National Assembly politicians sit as they have an obligation constantly to ensure jobs are created for the people they represent.
Noting how disturbed he was by the article, the Minister apologised to the gathering for using such a platform to address the issue.
“We have an obligation as leaders to act in the national interest and scaring away investors or creating an environment that is not conducive to investment or commending investors for withholding funds that our country has earned, those are not patriotic acts and do not serve the interest of any Guyanese person.”
The release noted that in the January 24 edition of the Kaieteur News, Opposition Leader David Granger and Party member Carl Greenidge are quoted as lauding the EU for withholding financial aid to Guyana.
In the article, the two also called on embassies to follow suit with other sanctions. The EU recently announced that it has temporarily put on hold its two latest partial payments, Euro$28.9 M for the local sugar sector and Euro $14.8 M for sea defence works.
Meanwhile, the Government in a statement made public an attached communication from the EU Delegation, dated September 8, 2014, indicating clearly that Guyana had met the eligibility criteria required to qualify for disbursements totalling €25,858,025.
The statement also stated that the EU Delegation had recommended disbursement of this sum to the EU Budget Support Steering Committee in Brussels which was due to meet on September 17, 2014.
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