One good Term deserves another

Jul 07, 2019 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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“We have found that the Neighbourhood and Regional Democratic Councils are not utilising their budgetary allocations and subventions to maintain the infrastructure in their communities. We found this worrying situation in Regions 5 and 6, and on the East Coast of Demerara.”
This was the lament of Party Vice Chairman, Cathy Hughes, after community walkabouts by Government officials last week. She was especially concerned that residents were not getting paid for the work they did clearing trenches and parapets, trimming trees. “They (NDC’s) are not spending the money they were allocated so the maintenance work is not getting done and unfortunately, residents are blaming central government,” she said.
“It is not surprising that situations like these are prevalent in the villages controlled by the Parliamentary Opposition.” While walking through the villages, the ministers appealed to the NDC Chairpersons to get the work done, to make their neighbours safe and comfortable.
Issues raised by residents included the “half-completed” main road and streets, the failure of village councils and officials to perform simple maintenance works, and a distinct lack of vision displayed by community leaders on the East Coast.
She also bemoaned the absence of ‘high expectation’ among the citizens which she said is sad. “Everything that is happening indicates that the immediate future of this country is going to be bright.” While walking about Beterverwagting, she said to the residents, “I wish you had the chance to travel and experience for yourself how people who had not heard about Guyana before 2015 describe this country. To them Guyana is “South America, the hottest place to be right now”. Of course, this is due to the high expectations that the developed countries have for this small nation that will benefit from first oil in less than one year’s time.
Guyana also needs to be under prudent management of its revenue and the Treasury so that all citizens in the entire country can reap the benefits. You, the citizens of Guyana, have the control. YOU have to decide whom you trust to manage the oil funds, and use it to develop this nation for yourself and your children; YOU have to be able to see through certain people’s political ambitions and their greed. YOU have to look and stay aware of what everyone is doing, and decide if they are helping you or just talking and shouting and promising.
You have to pay attention to see who is building you up, or holding you back by refusing to provide you even with basic services like trench clearing, and potable water.
The Opposition is guilty! They spent long years doing what their acolytes are still doing, i.e. failing to provide you with basic services. The PPP has refused to take up their places on state boards; they deliberately delay dealing with parliamentary matters; and they refuse to do anything that will take Guyana forward.
In the four short years that the Coalition has been managing this economy, and in spite of the opposition’s efforts to hold us back, the government has moved Guyana forward. There has been more development under the Coalition government in just 4 years than the previous 23 years when the Opposition were “the Rulers” as they referred to themselves.
Do you remember the violent crime wave of the early 2000s, how citizens were forced to hurry home before or just after dark? Those days are gone. Here is why:-
1. One of our strongest programmes is citizen security because there is no way we will allow the criminals to regain any strength and power
2. The security sector is more robust
3. Piracy is almost eliminated as Government works with our Surinamese counterparts to ensure pirates face the brunt of the law in both countries
4. We are keeping surveillance on all the crooks
5. The Police Force is better equipped to tackle crime, solving them at a much faster rate
6. Guyana now has the machinery to perform DNA tests to help solve crime
7. In collaboration with international agencies, we have put a massive dent in the drug trade
We continue to work towards making Guyana into a nation will not constantly be marked down by the IMF, the DEA, Scotland Yard and other international crime-solving bodies. Instead, we now receive positive reviews from lending agencies and even the international stock exchanges like the NASDAQ Index. They have labelled Guyana as the country with the fastest-growing economy in the world. Better days are coming!
Despite what the ‘purveyors of doom’ are preaching on their television stations, Guyana is already the most attractive place for investors, so now is not the time for citizen to become complacent. We have to keep our eyes peeled for any opportunity to earn money in agriculture, hospitality, food preparation and preservation, by learning to package the fruits and vegetables that grow all around us for sale in local supermarkets and abroad.
The Ministry of Public Telecommunications is about to launch a Farmers Market app that will link farmers of every kind of produce with buyers in Guyana, distributors and overseas buyers. The ministry is also about to team up with MACORP that is offering free online training for youths and adult men and women, in heavy-duty machinery operation and repairs.
Community meetings are grassroots democracy at work, with free exchange of information and ideas up and down the scale. This is one promise we intend to keep on keeping.

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