‘Don’t waste oil money on projects that provide kickbacks for the PPP boys – AFC

Jan 24, 2022 News

Kaieteur News- The Alliance For Change has warned the government not to throw oil money behind projects that will provide kickbacks for its friends and cronies, but rather immediately abolish fees at the University of Guyana to help struggling students.
Since returning to office, the PPP has revived the Amaila Falls Project, is pursuing a gas-to-shore project; have spoken about deep water ports among other projects. Observers believe that the way most of these projects are structured, provides breeding grounds for corruption and will benefit only the close associates of the Irfaan Ali administration.
In its statement the AFC said, as an oil producing nation, priority spending must be on education. “In this context there must be no fees or costs for persons wishing to pursue higher education at our premier tertiary education institution,” the AFC statement read. The party noted that for this year alone oil production should reach some 340,000 barrels of oil per day. This will result in significant earnings for the country and must not be squandered away on projects that only provide kick-backs for “the boys”. According to the AFC, many persons would recall that it was the PPP Government that reintroduced fees at the University of Guyana when it got into office in 1994. “They must reverse this now,” the AFC stated, adding that in recent years over 10,000 or 12,000 young Guyanese graduate secondary school but just about 3000 go on to university.

AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan

President Irfaan Ali

“This year about 2,200 will graduate from the University of Guyana. In fact UG graduating class averages some 3000. When compared to the number of students graduating from secondary school, it is clear that not enough of our young people are seeking a university education. One major obstacle is the fees they are asked to pay. That trend must be reversed. The AFC believes that, should university education be made free once again, we will see more persons opting for that level of tertiary education,” the statement added.
Simultaneously, the AFC said the University itself needs an influx of finance for both the Turkeyen and Tain campuses. “Even as virtual learning continues, lab facilities, lecture rooms, equipment and interactive programmes for virtual learning must be enhanced. Lecturers also must be adequately compensated and consideration must be given to establishing university campuses at Linden and Essequibo. In addition, there is need for a technical institute at Lethem.”
To reiterate, the AFC calls on the PPP Government to use our oil wealth to improve: the re-introduction of free education from nursery to university; adequate remuneration and benefits for lecturers; the establishment of university campuses at Linden and Essequibo; the establishment of a technical institute at Lethem and improved facilities to support virtual and face-to-face learning at all campuses.
Additionally, the AFC said, now that the PPP government has amended the law so that it can access all monies earned from our oil sector, it must ensure that spending be aligned to the development of our citizens. “Sustainable development of our nation will depend on us having an educated population be it at the university or technical training levels as provided for at the technical institutes, Carnegie School of Home Economics or other such institutions. The AFC calls on other leaders in society, including the private sector, the Bar Association, trade unions, political parties, religious organizations and others to demand free education from nursery to university for our nation’s young people,” the statement concluded.