‘Shots’ fired in Nat’l Assembly during budget debates …substance takes backseat

Aug 18, 2015 News

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By Abena Rockcliffe
Yesterday was only the beginning of the much-anticipated Budget Debates, therefore many who are considered to be the ‘big wigs’ of politics did not take the floor. Nevertheless, ‘shots’ were fired from left, right and centre.
Members of the National Assembly, those who sat in the public gallery and the media were definitely entertained by the abundant heckling and the jabs during the various speeches but were deprived of real substance.
Yesterday’s speakers included former Housing Minister Irfaan Ali, Minister of Business and Investment Dominic Gaskin, Charles Ramson Jr., Junior Public Health Minister Dr. Karen Cummings, Joseph Hamilton, Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma and former Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud.
It was hard to figure whether Hamilton was trying to be a comedian or just a humorous politician. As he sought to ridicule the amount of advisors attached to the new government, Hamilton said that he was surprised the new government did not appoint advisors for “dog bathing, cat feeding and rat catching”.
Then, as he sought to criticize the number of senior citizens in the government’s Cabinet, the PPP Member said, “The people of this country were told that it is time for the youth…take a look over yonder what do you see? Thirty shades of gray…Do not be fooled by the black hair on some of their heads.”
Hamilton told the House that the government has been unfaithful to its “own young people…The youths are asking where is James Bond, Trevor Williams, Renita Williams and where is the famous Vanessa Kissoon.
In response, those on the government’s side heckled “where is Ramotar, Ashni and Robert.”
Hamilton sought to condemn the government’s move to “send home four dozen highly qualified technical persons” who worked on the One Laptop Per Family project.
However, when Finance Minister, Winston Jordan shouted, “including your son” laughter drowned the rest of Hamilton’s word on that subject.
Hamilton said that he noticed that the government decided to give one laptop per teacher and was surprised that it did not offer “ODPF or OHPP—One Dog Per Family or One Horse Per Police.”
The Member then proceeded to speak of magic tricks performed by the Administration.
In this regard, his first jab went to Minister Simona Broomes. He said that her first miracle was to “make (former head of Child Protection Agency) Ann Greene disappear.
He said that she then visited Bartica, “found 27 ladies of the night, baptized them in the Essequibo River and called them TIP victims.”
When Minister Sharma took the floor, he highlighted the many goodies in the budget including the rise in pension and minimum wage claiming that senior citizens are “overjoyed” at the rise in pension.
He responded to Hamilton’s bid that the new administration is doing magic.
Sharma said “Yes, I agree with those on the opposition side that the Finance Minister is a wizard, because it will take an extra special person to deal with the mess inherited form the PPP.”
PPP MP Charles Ramson spoke extensively on youth.
Ramson delivered his maiden speech and perhaps his over exuberance caused him to be all over the place.
The lawyer cited Shakespeare, used French and offered once in a lifetime, “free advice.”
These theatrics in most cases did not enhance his speech but in some cases the newbie made some good points.
He said that prior to this election the coalition sung the hymn of “youth, youth, youth and more youth – and rode the wave of youth straight to the seat of power – now upon the assumption of that seat of power – how have their actions and their budget reflected the welfare, interest and demands of the youth? The coalition election slogan of “it is time now” in government has been translated into the policy of “it is mine” – neglecting the youth of Guyana.”
Ramson pointed out that the government relegated and demoted the Ministry of Youth into a subsumed subordinate position and a programme within the Ministry Of Education – “something that we in the People’s Progressive Party totally disagree with; in fact the PPP not only believes that there should be a youth ministry and a youth minister, but that young people should occupy the seat of power in all spheres of the state – especially in the cabinet and parliament.
I would go further, I would argue that the absence of youth representation from the coalition government MPs and cabinet is unconstitutional.”
Ramson said as well that only two paragraphs in the Budget speech spoke of the youth – the youth line item appears in the budget – the very last item – almost like an afterthought – like the errant bastard child whose father reluctantly acknowledges him.
“This is what the youth on the street would call a B5 budget… no good… useless. No wonder even the youth who voted for the coalition feel disillusioned, disaffected and disenfranchised, and most of all betrayed. All talk, no walk, all gear, no game.
“How are you going to tackle youth unemployment, bullying in schools, underage drinking and drug use, suicide, truancy in schools, youth crime…the big solution cannot be to close the bars at 2am and send home everyone. Total incompetence – this coalition Gov’t is proving itself every day to be yesterday’s men with yesterday’s ideas.”
“From the opposition tables you had all the facile solutions for this country – now you are in power all you have is flaccid solutions and with an average age of Gov’t MPs at 62, no wonder – square pegs in round holes –
We the youth of Guyana deserve better – we are more than just an afterthought. We are more than an errant bastard child who is reluctantly recognised by their father. We are our country’s lifeline – the backbone. We are the past, present and future of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and we refuse to be ignored and silenced, and be told to wait until you have a programme for us next year and be told to go home at 2a.m. So it is for this reason I cannot by any stretch of clemency vote to approve of this budget.
Irfaan Ali described the budget as containing “nothing new, nothing fresh.” He boasted of leaving in the hands of the new government an economy that is “vibrant, buoyant and full of energy.”
He said “Contrary to the claim that the PPP/C government handed over a sluggish economy, the country expanded faster than its counterparts in the Caribbean and Latin American since 2011. Notwithstanding the unstable political environment created by the coalition since 2011 the economy consistently recorded growth rates higher than the average for Caribbean and Latin American between 2011 and 2014.”
“While the rice farmers await the new markets and better price, this administration is still campaigning with the hope that people will be distracted from the real issues. Sadly the farmers will have to hang on while the administration continues with its political gyrations.”
He also called for increased wages for the public servants and lambasted the government for not consulting with the Guyana Public Service Union.
He slammed the new administration on its failure to deliver on several of its elections promises on assumption to office and its 100 days plan and said “they are on the journey of destroying every single credible institution this PPP administration has established.”

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