APNU+AFC could be a one-term government

May 16, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Let me start by saying, I am a 22 year old female (university graduate) of African descent who voted for APNU/AFC. May 11th, 2017 marked two years since the Granger administration has been in power. In this regard, I wish to speak as a representative of the youth of Guyana and say we feel betrayed and disappointed.
It is becoming quite clear that the APNU/AFC government has a political vendetta against the previous administration. The government is so busy trying to get back at and get even with the PPP/C that it does not care who or how many get affected as collateral damage. We see it play out each day which only leaves the poor and working class Guyanese disenfranchised.
APNU/AFC campaigned on jobs for youths yet all the government appears to be doing is re-employing retirees they feel were strong PNC supporters. Just about every position is filled by an ancient person with antiquated ideas while young, talented, creative, innovative, intelligent minds sit at home sending countless application letters to no avail.
Since we are on the issue of unemployment, I wonder if the Granger administration really wants to go down in history as the government that put thousands of hardworking Guyanese out of a job by closing down Guysuco. The Guyana Sugar Corporation is the largest employer in Guyana and the Caribbean. It has in its employ approximately seventeen thousand Guyanese and is one of the few companies in Guyana that offers more than a monthly salary.
Staff can benefit from free health care for themselves, spouses and children, a pension plan that allows for free health care even after one has retired and survivors benefits for spouses and dependents after employees passing. All this and more the government seems eager to take away, by pulling the plug on Guysuco. This leaves me to wonder again; is it because of our new found oil potential? This cannot be since less than two years ago crude oil was plunging to less than $30 per barrel. Or is the real motive to hurt the PPP since it is a well-known fact that most cane cutters are PPP-inclined
Another such move is the 14% vat on private education tuition. How does adding VAT to the tuition cause delinquent tax payers to stop evading taxes? It does not. In fact, that is even more money they will not be paying towards taxes because schools that are not registered will still increase their tuition. It is the general view that mostly middle class urban people of a certain moneyed type connected to the PPP can afford to send their children to private schools. Hence the increase – in an effort to get at them; but what about the many black families that struggle to send their children to these same schools just so that they can have similar opportunities. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying this is the only reason why this is wrong but let’s face it, PPP middle class supporters are rich and can still afford the 14% increase so who is really affected here. This government needs to do better or this will surely be their first and only term.
P. Younge

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