APNU+AFC double standards on decision-making

Oct 24, 2015 Letters

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Dear Editor,
By now, most of us who voted for change are upset with double standard on decision-making adopted by the APNU + AFC Government. The most recent one is the increase in Salaries for Ministers and Members of Parliament.  Another one to highlight is the decision to lay charges against the PPP/C Former Ministers for the allocation of lands to themselves at the so called Pradoville 2 Scheme.  While I am supportive and is agreement withthe decision to charge the Ministers for their misconduct and abuse of Power whilst in office, I deemed it to be DOUBLE STANDARD.  You may want to know why I said its DOUBLE STANDARD in decision making, well evaluate it against the decision taken by the APNU + AFC Government to give themselves the MEGA increase in salary.  Isn’t this synonymous with the decision that was taken by the Formers PPP/C Government to allocate land to themselves? The APNU + AFC government is also abusing the constitutional power that vested into them by giving themselves this large salary increase.  Should someone move to the court in their private capacity to challenge this increase??  Well I think the labour unions should since they are representing a large portion of the population that are grossly underpaid and could barely make it to survive on their insignificant earnings.
I won’t waste my time to elaborate why the increase is not the right thing to do since I think the patriotic and right thinking Guyanese have already discussed and vented the different reasons why this increase is unjustifiable at this point of time.  Many intellectual comparisons had also been done to support their arguments against this salary increase so I won’t venture further into that direction.  What I think the Guyanese people should be provided with is what the APNU + AFC Government has done since in Government to demand and award to themselves such a large increase.  I know Mr Harmon has given himself and his APNU + AFC Government A grade after their 100 days in office.  My arguments towards this increase are as follows:
1. Is there any increase in governance and management of the economy?  If so where is it? And the answer to this is a strictly no.  Why, because it is too early to measure better Governance using any benchmark and time frame.  Further, all Guyanese could see that the APNU + AFC did not stick to their campaign promise and deliver their 100 days promise. All they did was to make all of us a pack of foolish Guyanese people.  The arrogance and the callous statements and positions taken by the Minister of State have left much to desire.  What is upsetting is that they promise that they will professionalize the Public Service but the recent appointments of Head of Agencies, Board Members proved to be different.
2. The APNU + AFC Government are very incompetent and will never be able to manage Guyana Economy.  Some section of the society will argued that it is too early to make an assessment, but I disagree.  They are not aliens in Guyana. They were in Parliament and in Opposition for past 20 plus years.  My argument is that if you want to manage something successfully and think you can do better that the persons who was or is managing the something, you must study it and be prepared to accelerate the pace that it is moving when you take it over.  In my opinion, the APNU+AFC Government failed to do so since they are still holding on to the set of incompetent people and thieves that were employed by the PPP/C.  The APNU+AFC has stalled the economy and cannot find the right gear to move it faster.  Business activities have since declined significantly; simply get your opinion from the man in the street.
3. The APNU+AFC campaign on the premise of a corrupted PPP/C Administration.  Yes, there is no doubt about that, but to date no one has been charged as yet.  The citizens and your supporters would like to know about the status of the following matters which is just a few to mention, since it seems like all was just a bluff or they gone cold because the Ministers  of APNU+AFC strike a deal with them.  The matters they should provide the public with are
a. The issues with the Former Minister of Public Service concerning vehicles and the G$ 600 M public funds that were allegedly misused and allegedly misappropriated.
b. What will be the disciplinary action taken against the Accounting Officer, Permanent Secretary Omar Shariff of the Ministry of Presidency?  Is he kept there to facilitate inappropriate transactions to members of APNU + AFC Government members?
c. The transfer of funds by the Deputy CEO of GPL and a Former Board Director that also gone cold.
d. The recent findings of the transfer of GRDB Money to GRPA
e. The statements made by the APNU and AFC when they were oppositions about the illegal activities and projects at NICIL that were facilitated by Mr. Brassington and the others. To date, Mr. Brassignton is still heading NICIL and further the Deputy of MrBrassington is the wife of Mr. Jaipaul Sharma’s brother.
f.The money that was taken from the Treasury to purchase gold, is the gold at the Bank of Guyana or the money being replaced?
It is so disgusting when heard that the rice farmers are complaining about what the APNU+AFCwere preaching on the campaign trail about what they will do when they go into Government for the rice farmers.  In short, all they did was to fool the rice farmers.  They, Mr Nagamootoo said that when they go in Government, they will able to pay the rice farmers up to G$ 9,000 per bag for paddy and today Granger is saying that the rice sector fiasco is a private sector matter and not an issue for his government.  This is so ludicrous! In view of all of what is happening, it leaves me to think if Guyana will ever get better.  I liked and admire with passion, the comments and the positions taken by some people like Dr Hinds, Freddie Kissoon, the Red Thread, etc. I asked myself if this is as much we can do as Guyanese?  We have long suffer under the PNC, the PPP/C and are we going to sit and accept what the APNU+AFC is carrying on with?  Well people, if we do, it is confirming that Guyanese people are passive.
I would like to leave it here and look forward for the next move what the APNU+AFC will come up with and what we will do as Guyanese
RNR
Editor’s note. The initials here are from a real person. We would be reluctant to carry further correspondence with this style. We prefer the full names.

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