Opposition, Govt. must find common ground to work together - PPP MP Lumumba

Opposition, Govt. must find common ground to work together – PPP MP Lumumba

Aug 23, 2015 News

Although tempers flared to unseen levels among politicians during the 2015 budget debates throughout last week, Opposition Parliamentarian, Odinga Lumumba said that it is imperative that both sides of the House find common ground to work together.
“There is a need for us to work together so that the world can see a more mature Guyana,” he added.
But after walking this line of diplomacy for a moment, he launched an attack on the 2015 budget as well as the administration’s actions thus far in office.
Lumumba said that budget 2015 not only lacks initiative but is a book keeper’s manual loaded with “cut and paste” from the PPP’s vision for Guyana.
He then bemoaned the reduction in the Berbice Bridge toll.
Finance Minister Winston Jordan had announced that with effect from September 1, 2015, the toll for passenger cars and buses will be reduced from $2,200 to $1,900, a 13.6 percent reduction.
At the same time, the toll for all other types of vehicles will be reduced by 10 percent.
But Lumumba said that reducing the toll by $300 will not save the economy and is nothing but a cheap political gimmick.
The government was quick to sharply retort that it is surely a start to restructuring the economy and easing the burden on the users of the bridge. The Opposition member said nothing further on this matter.
The former Presidential Advisor to the previous administration then turned his attention to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). He said that there are various issues affecting this agency, which the budget failed to address or make provisions to solve.
The politician argued that the agency needs to start exploring the potential of exploitation of other precious minerals while working with the small miners to ensure that their rights are not trampled upon.
He said, too, that several areas in this country need roads and state lands should be opened up to create more opportunity.
He expressed his disappointment to the House Speaker, Dr. Barton Scotland that the budget was again silent on this matter.
Lumumba also focused on the Forestry Sector for a short time as he called on the government to not interfere in a dictatorial manner in the managerial structure of the industry.
The Opposition Parliamentarian said that he agrees that there needs to be accountability restored to the sector but emphasized that, “we cannot continue to demonize the Chinese companies then run to get loans.”
He was at the time alluding to the fact that government has been opposed to the wanton abuse of the country’s forestry sector by certain companies such as Bai Shan Lin Forest Development Inc.
On this subject matter, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan was the first to lambaste Lumumba for his “ill-informed statements.”
Bulkan shouted that there needs to be a level playing field and that that particular Chinese company and others in the Forestry Sector are yet to honour their commitments in establishing value added facilities in Guyana.
Odinga did not brush aside Bulkan’s position, but rather agreed with him implicitly.

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Opposition, Govt. must find common ground to work together – PPP MP Lumumba

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