‘Ordinary citizens have nothing to show for PPP/C’s three years in office’

‘Ordinary citizens have nothing to show for PPP/C’s three years in office’ – Norton

Aug 04, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – While the government is in celebratory mode over its 3^rd anniversary in office, ordinary Guyanese have little to show for the so-called development by the ruling administration.

This was highlighted by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Opposition at its weekly press conference.

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton scolded the government over what he considers to be minor accomplishments in an oil economy.

“With oil revenues now providing a steady and substantial income into the national treasury over the last three years, ordinary Guyanese still cannot see any pathway to prosperity for themselves and their families. By prosperity, we mean what is articulated in the Guyana Constitution at Article 40 (1), which states among others: “Every person in Guyana is entitled to the basic right to a happy, creative and productive life, free from hunger, ignorance, and want,” Norton said.

Norton bemoaned the manner in which the government chooses to spend taxpayers’ money on infrastructure in a wild, unplanned and corrupt manner. In addition, he noted that the Government is in the habit of making sporadic handouts to citizens with little to no accountability.

“Guyanese under the PPP [Peoples Progressive Party] continue to experience high cost of living and high unemployment thus living unhappily, entrapped by poverty, unfairness, hunger and want. Clearly, the focus of the government is not on the development of the people of Guyana,” he said.

The Opposition Leader stressed on the high prices for food, rent or mortgage, transportation, utilities, private school lessons, good health care, childcare that ordinary citizens have to deal with daily.

He added, “The PPP regime has shown utter disregard for the plight of the working class and working poor in Guyana. Salary increases are always cloaked in uncertainty and in government bad faith and political shenanigans. When increases are eventually announced, they are below the inflation rate and therefore not enough for workers to overcome the country’s high cost of living and the large debts owed. The PPP’s approach guarantees our workers a life of poverty.”

With regard to the micro-to-small business sector in Guyana, Norton suggested that for this type of business to flourish, the sector must have ready access to markets, grants, soft loans, set-aside contracts, technical support, and tax and other concessions.

He noted that “just as crucial, Guyanese citizens must have the level of income to invest in businesses or to serve as their regular customers.”

“The more spending power or disposable income in the hands of Guyanese, the more flourishing will be the small business sector and the Guyana economy generally. Therefore, the high levels of poverty and economic insecurity under the current PPP regime will continue to strangle growth and opportunities for small businesses,” the Opposition Leader said.

In short, he said the ad-hoc and inadequate measures by the PPP regime will not convert the small business sector into a pathway to prosperity for many Guyanese.

“A more cohesive and holistic approach is needed starting with greater and easier access to grants and soft loans. But all of this is beyond the competence and vision of the PPP,” the Opposition Leader added.

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A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Aubrey Norton, office, Opposition Leader, PP/C

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