Glenn Lall outlines ways Govt. can give each family $1M monthly

Jan 07, 2023 News

…tells Pres. Ali to hold press conferences and stop hiding behind Facebook live, State House functions

Kaieteur News – Businessman and publisher of Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall, on Friday outlined ways in which the Government of Guyana can give each family $1M monthly debunking statements made by President Irfaan Ali that even at the highest point Guyana’s oil and gas revenues cannot afford to give each citizen a cash transfer.

Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall

The Department of Public Information (DPI) quoted the President as saying, “I can say like many others, let’s give everybody $1 million each. First of all, it is nonsensical because we can’t afford it even at the highest point of oil revenues.” The President was at the time addressing stakeholders at a forum at State House.

The DPI reported that the Head-of-State explained that the government is looking at improving the country’s competitiveness, productive capacity, strengthen the work force, enhance wages and build national prosperity that reaches the household level.

“As a society, we have to debunk this type of fallacy otherwise, all of us will be part of building a future that is not sustainable,” Ali reiterated.

However, in response, the Kaieteur News Publisher said, “You have in excess of $50B already, more than that, at a 10 percent interest rate per annum, it is US$5B going into the hands of the banking institutions. If we correct that, that money can come into every home in this country, that alone…”

Further, Lall said if the government “takes stock of these field development projects” then “that alone can give you a million dollars a month.”

“A million dollars a month from those four oil projects (Exxon’s projects) alone, if he (President Ali) is willing to take the advice and do the things he has to do,” the Kaieteur News publisher said while adding that, “President Ali shouldn’t hold stakeholders meetings and talk to this country. He should hold press conferences, where reporters and people like Glenn Lall can ask him questions.”

Since taking office in August 2020, the Head-of-State, nor the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat (who is responsible for oil and gas sector), has held a press conference regarding critical developments in the oil and gas industry – all while several US-multi-million projects are being awarded.

This publication recently reported that, in place of facing the independent media, the President has developed a fondness for Facebook Lives and the issuance of statements. While he is an advocate for local content, the President has been more open to engaging international media as opposed to the independent Guyanese press.

President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali

Furthermore, Minister Bharrat has not held any press conference to update the media corps on its stewardship of the major industry. Notably, while Bharrat is the Minister in charge of the oil and gas sector, he has never officially engaged the media to address key concerns on transparency and accountability or to speak on upcoming developments.

In many instances, local media operatives are left to learn about developments in the oil sector, such as the exploration programmes offshore for a given year from companies as opposed to his ministry.

Meanwhile, DPI also reported that President Ali said the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government is embarking on a massive development trajectory that will lay the foundation to build an economy that will perform in a world 2030 and beyond.

The President said the aim is to make Guyana a leader in food security and agro-processing, as well as ecological, biological, financial, technological, health and manufacturing services, it was further stated.