I welcome comparisons between David Granger and the man with a proven record, Irfaan Ali

Aug 31, 2019 Letters

---

DEAR EDITOR,

Using a nonsensical ‘poll’ as an excuse, GHK Lall intimated that Irfaan Ali is not the preferred candidate for the PPP/C – nothing could be further from the truth, but that is not my focus. I have noticed while every opportunity is taken to attack Irfaan, what these so called ‘independent minds’ never do, is conduct a (long-overdue) review of the record and character of Caretaker President David Granger, ostensibly Irfaan’s opponent for Elections 2019. Please allow me to be of assistance.
1. UNTRUSTWORTHY
Granger the 2015 candidate made promises that Granger the President never acknowledged. “Jobs for every graduate of the University of Guyana”. One year on morphed into “There is no magic wand. The government cannot provide jobs in the government service, in the police force or the defence force”.
When asked about job creation under his administration after two and a half years in office Granger shrugged and said “It may start with plantain chips… small things could end up big,” Granger never made mention about job creation again until after his administration fell in 2018. This pattern of indifference and untrustworthiness is evidenced throughout Granger’s term in office.
Granger promised revitalization of the Village economy. His first act, however, was to shut down the thriving village entertainment, Bars, BBQ and Fish & Chip establishments. Granger advised young people to stop ‘liming’ and plant crops instead. He did not offer any support to go with this ‘advice’. Support was provided to the ‘African Business Round Table and The International Decade for People of African Descent-Guyana. Neither of these organizations represent African Guyanese in the slightest.
Billions are spent on Ministers’ lavish lifestyles with meal allowance costs now increased by $1.6 Billion from the 2014 figure. Granger cares, just not about me or you.
Granger took away $8 Billion of direct support provided to schoolchildren with the removal of the $10,000 cash grant. As September approaches sugar workers have not been paid for August, they cannot buy back to school supplies, in what seems like targeted suffering. Granger approved a 50% salary increase for his Ministers and at the same time callously took away the year-end bonus from our hard working men and women of the Joint services.
Other major promises made and broken by Granger include; 1. To create a new economy that will stimulate rapid development through Guyana’s transformation from a raw material producer to a Manufacturer of Value Added Goods.
Granger’s first year in office, 2015-16, saw value-added within the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector decline by more than US$67M. Within the manufacturing sector, value-added declined by more than US$18M, with wholesale, retail and trade, by another US$5M.
At the local level, in 2017, lending to the manufacturing sector contracted by more than $4.2 billion or 14.6%, when compared to 2015.
According to the latest available data, in mid-2018 the manufacturing sector contracted by another 5.7% to $26.0 billion. Specifically, credit to the beverages, food and tobacco industry, and for other construction and engineering decreased by $2.6 billion (39%) and $1.8 billion (15 %), respectively. 2. Macroeconomic Stability.
Fiscal deficit increased from $9.3B in 2015 to $43 Billion at the end of 2018. Public enterprises moved from producing a surplus of $8B in 2015 to a deficit of 22.8 billion at the end of 2018. APNU+AFC Coalition took office in June 2015, the Gold reserves moved from $16.268B to $589.3M in June 2019.
2. MISMANAGEMENT
Granger proudly boasts of 4% growth, the fact is that had it not been for Granger’s disastrous mismanagement of the economy, a lack of vision that saw closure of sugar estates and dismantling of the Amerindian CSO program with no alternative employment plan in place that has led to decline in all of the traditional sectors, growth would have been in the high double digits; 4% after the discovery of oil is an admission of failure.
All of the Government corporations are bankrupt or in serious debt; GuySuCo, which the government claimed it has right-sized two years ago, is now projected to make a loss of $920 million and it even has shelved the responsibility of drainage. GPL is projected to make a deficit of $9.5 billion; GPOC, GRDB, GUYOIL, and MARDS Rice complex are the only four public enterprises projected to have a surplus, but the end of 2019 will earn less than was projected at the start of the year in the minister’s budget speech.
The parent company of the Chronicle – Guyana National Printers Limited – continues to be run into the ground, it is expected to finish the year with at $80.5 million deficit. NIS is projected to lose $546 million. After four years in office and $1.4 Trillion in budget expenditure, all we have to show for it is two arches, five overpasses and a roundabout to nowhere.
Granger was elected President despite his lack of experience in delivering programs or creating policy, his performance since then reveals the true nature of the man.
3. LACK OF LEADERSHIP
Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman was ordered to sign the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with Tullow that did Guyana’s citizens no favours with its lack of ring-fencing provisions and a ‘1% royalty’. Given that Guyana was no longer a frontier oil nation, this was a poorly negotiated deal – it has Guyana paying a 1% royalty from its own portion of ‘profit-oil’. Where was the leadership?
Granger has also passed legislation that put the Sovereign Wealth Fund under the control of one man, the Finance Minister, one of the persons who vacillated on the existence of a signing bonus. Granger has a plan for Oil money, are you in it?
4. TRIVIAL PURSUIT
Less than two weeks after being elected President, Granger was informed along with the nation that Oil had been found in commercial quantity. Granger did not prioritize ‘local-content’, instead, he spent the first year in office planning a Jubilee celebration. D’Urban Park was transformed into a Drill square, at a cost to businessmen and taxpayers yet to be determined. $600 Million remains unaccounted for and the square is now home to vagrants and stray dogs.
Granger spent four years persuading persons to ‘donate’ buses, boats, bicycles (and now book bags) that carry his ‘David G’ insignia. I am unsure if these buses are the property of the state as they do not appear on the asset register of any state entity. Granger’s idol, Burnham, was Prime Minister for over 15 years before he appeared on the cover of exercise books, David G did not tarry. Painting everything Green is an obsession; State buildings, Schools, Roundabouts, sidewalks and even outhouses.
5. UNDEMOCRATIC
Granger struggles with the ‘Rule of Law’ concept as he sees himself apart from the system. When the Chief Justice ruled that while the President has the ultimate say on who is determined fit and proper to serve in the post, and could also reject the list of nominees, he should provide reasons as to why specific persons are unsuitable.
Granger said “while the Chief Justice gave an appointment based on her perception of the law I will continue to act based on my perception of the Constitution….” When the Caribbean Court of Justice ruled his appointment of James Patterson as Chairman was “constitutionally flawed” Granger maintained “I did nothing wrong”.
This disconnect between word and action has led to refusal to act in accordance with constitutional requirements following the passage of a no-confidence motion. Granger is struggling with the concept that he is a ‘caretaker’ and his cabinet stands resigned as of 21st December 2018.
CONCLUSION
Granger may delude himself by placing his name on buses, boats, bicycles and book bags; his real legacy, however, is an Tullow Oil PSA that gave away our oil revenues carelessly; a disrespected and destroyed constitution; an unstable economy where investments are frozen; 30,000 jobs destroyed; a high crime rate as criminals remain undeterred by his ‘dogs and ponies’ security upgrades.
Granger’s lack of concern for the Guyanese people is evidenced by the fact that he never bothered to produce a local-content policy or pass enabling and enforcing legislation for the same purpose.
I welcome comparisons between David Granger and Irfaan Ali, who has a strong track record of delivering on promises. Irfaan’s innovations include taking the ‘One Stop Shop” for housing to the people; house lots distributed at a record rate; wells were built, construction boomed; special projects were implemented, including the Young Professional and Remigrant Schemes.
Irfaan is backed by a solid team including Bharrat Jagdeo, whose term as President coincided with the greatest period of prosperity in Guyana’s history. The PPP/C can offer its history of preparing manifestos and achieving 85% of the promises and projects contained within, the APNU/AFC did a ‘cut and paste’ manifesto and delivered nothing contained therein.
The choice facing the electorate is stark; the empty suit of David G, or the man with a proven record, Irfaan Ali, the hard-working farmer/economist/politician.
Respectfully
Robin Singh

---

---