Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 13, 2019 AFC Column, Features / Columnists
Every time Guyana holds National and Regional elections, a new government is sworn in whether it is made up of members of the incumbent party or another. Either way, it is considered a new government. But it was no surprise that the PPP tried to gain political mileage from the recent tweet by US Senator, Marco Rubio who said: “I look forward to the democratic electoral process of our important regional ally, Guyana. It’s in our strong interest to stand in support of the Guyanese people as they seek to elect a new government that can advance their security and prosperity”.
The take-away from the Senator’s comment is his wish for the advancement of Guyana’s security and prosperity. This APNU+AFC government has started this country down that road, and with the electorate’s vote next March, we will continue to clean up the institutions and messy political situations we found in 2015. We will continue to implement new programmes, build new infrastructure, donate/present computers to our children to prepare them and their parents for the brave new world of high technology. With heavy investments in Education, Guyana is on its way back to the top tier of the CXC where we used to be before 2000.
The PPP is demonstrating an appalling ignorance of their country’s history, but this is not the forum for a lesson on the PPP’s reliance on our pre-independence legacy of social divisions, bitterness and distrust. Guyana is now entering its future with a brand new legacy, and we urge all citizens to keep your eyes on the prize.
This Coalition Government is more determined than ever to strengthen our national pride through unity among communities. No division of any kind will do Guyana any good, and we are very certain that none of our foreign partners in trade or in diplomacy is advocating for this nation to lose the momentum we have gained.
They all have a vested interest in seeing Guyana peaceful, stable and prosperous; in seeing our citizens and their business interests safe from piracy, banditry, governmental and institutional corruption. They want what we want, to see us unite to fight our common enemy like Venezuela which is still hell bent on stealing three-quarters of Guyana’s land – the entire Essequibo region – and all of our Exclusive Maritime Economic Zone where the undersea oil fields are located, and where a number of internationally renowned oil and gas producers are preparing for first oil.
We have a common enemy outside our border so this is the time for us to band together to fight this enemy and keep the proceeds from OUR resources, our oil, gold, diamonds, and forests for our people.
Guyana stands on the threshold of wealth, possibly greatness, but the PPP’s constant harping is robbing us of the excitement we all should be feeling, that anticipation of great things coming to us. They are confusing you, and distracting you, preventing you from concentrating on the new businesses you should be preparing for.
While the government is doing its job of passing new legislations to protect the income from all our natural resources in order to distribute it evenly among the entire population from Region One (Barima-Waini) to Region 10 (Upper Demerara – Upper Berbice where even more natural resources like bauxite and kaolin are in bountiful supply, you have to grab the new job opportunities and openings for new business. You cannot allow yourself to be distracted or you can lose those opportunities to expatriates who want them badly. This land is your land, so step up!
Our foreign partners are aware that the Guyana economy is developing (already at 4.5 % for 2019). They have participated in the crafting of Guyana’s long-term sustainable development plans and the Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040, as well as the Guyana Natural Resources Fund and other new legislations to make sure that our oil resources are prudently managed. They have witnessed Guyana’s efforts to change our financial/banking systems in adherence to the global anti-money laundering and financing of terrorism requirements.
Our country is now stable and safe, and it will remain so once the Coalition Government is allowed to continue our transformation.
A point to note – every promise that the PPP is making in their election campaign is mirroring the Coalition’s programmes already in place. We notice that they are promising to re-open the same sugar estates they had run bankrupt and had put up for divestment in 2010. They are promising to reduce the same 16% Value Added Tax they had imposed. The Coalition Government has since reduced it to 14% with a further reduction to come. The PPP is promising everything that they failed to deliver in the 23 years when they ruled this nation.
Compelling facts and stats
Numbers are easily verifiable. Here are a few compelling stats and facts that map some improvements since 2015:-
1. Minimum wage increased by over 60% which frees thousands of workers from paying Income Tax
2. Increase in old age pension by 56% to $20,500
3. Corporate tax reduced from 40% to 25% with amnesty on arrears
4. VAT exemption for small businesses earning less than $15M per year
5. Revolving Fund to assist small entrepreneurs
6. Duty-free concessions for machine/spare parts imports
7. Over 5,000 new jobs, some by self-employment helped by micro-financing
8. Youths in sugar and bauxite belts receiving training from Youth Skills Development projects, specially targeted for oil and gas industry
9. Youth population, schools and other educational institutions have free Wi-fi Internet
10. Teachers have received free laptop computers, and students free computer tablets
11. A new Centre of Excellence in IT is now open and teaching advanced technology
12. Campus Radio at UG is on the air, along with 7 new Community Radio Stations in Hinterland and inland regions
13. Thousands more have joined new mining syndicates, and hundreds of mining blocks distributed to small miners
14. Gold production jumped to 700,000 oz.
15. New agricultural lands opened on the Coast and hinterland
16. New overseas markets for paddy and rice in Mexico, Panama, Cuba and over 35 other countries
17. New housing communities created with reduced costs per house lot (no VAT, w/ water treatment plants, etc.)
18. Innovative Home Improvement subsidies granted
19. Three new water treatment plants constructed and 8 new wells in the Rupununi
20. Nearly 200 Information Technology hubs opened in community centers, benabs, post offices in towns and inland communities esp. for students and entrepreneurs
Guyana is moving up with programmes already in place for you and your children when you elect APNU+AFC as the new government for the 2020-2025 term.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)
Jagdeo giving Exxon 102 cent to collect 2 cent.
Apr 25, 2024
By Rawle Toney Kaieteur Sports – The French Diplomatic Office in Guyana, in collaboration with the Guyana Olympic Association and UNICEF, hosted an exhibition on Tuesday evening at the...Kaieteur News – Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, persists in offering... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]