47th Independence Anniversary…Don’t use differences to stall Guyana’s progress; work with me – President Ramotar appeals

As Government and the Opposition continue a standoff over passage of a number of critical pieces of legislations, President Donald Ramotar last evening promised to pull out all stops to ensure progress continues. The Head of State, during last night’s 47th Independence celebrations at the National Park, also appealed for trust. He said that he is willing to work with all stakeholders. “On this the 47th anniversary…I appeal to our political leaders to join me in creating conditions of improved political trust that would allow us to work together, in spite of our differences, to build this country of ours and to make it truly great so that we can take a bigger part in resolving regional and global issues.”

President Donal Ramotar

He was convinced that despite the current challenges, all Guyanese share the common desire for an end to poverty and a modern country, in which all can prosper in an environment of peace and unity. “I believe that at this time when our economy is doing better, we are well positioned to move closer towards achieving this vision. We should not let this moment pass; we should not squander this opportunity. I implore all of our political leaders to join me in working to build a grand future for all of our people.” The Head of State, who came to power in a minority government following the November 2011 General Elections, stressed that in any society, there will be differences of opinions and in approaches to various issues. No roadblocks please! “These differences, however, should not be used as a roadblock to stymie progress nor is to jeopardize Guyana standing nationally, regionally or internationally.” Regarding the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill which the Opposition is refusing to speed through the National Assembly before a deadline later this month, the President warned that Guyana should not lose its good standing in the regional and international bodies and therefore be listed as a non-cooperation jurisdiction. Failure to pass the legislation could see financial sanctions on Guyana, affecting trade. The Opposition AFC and APNU have accused government of waiting too long to bring the Bill which allows for better tracking of illegal proceeds from drugs and also allows for stiffer penalties. “I urge that the parties reconvene in the Parliamentary Special Select Committee and bring the Bill to the House on May 28, 2013 with a view to passing it,” the President said last night. However, Prime Minister Sam Hinds postponed that meeting. It is time to show more political maturity; “it is a time to put Guyana first; nothing should be done to jeopardize the welfare of our people and country.” The President trumpeted the country’s unprecedented run of sustained economic growth of 4.5 to five per cent per annum. “The stellar performance of Guyana’s economy and the excellent prognosis for the future speaks volumes about the resilience of our economy, the soundness of our economic planning, and the industriousness of the Guyanese people.” Housing boom Ramotar noted that his government has done well with thousands owning their own homes. “We should acknowledge that Guyana is the only country in the CARICOM that has embarked on such an ambitious housing programme focused on housing the poor and low income families. “In the last five years, 50 per cent of all persons who own a house lot under these schemes are single mothers and women-headed households.  This is a major achievement for our women who can begin to break the cycle of poverty and take a more equal position in the society.” He also said that the days of dredging water for miles, of keeping children out of school to fetch water are over.  “Over 90 per cent of our people now have access to clean and reliable water. There are more and better schools for children to attend.” The education system has also improved with students excelling at CXC and CAPE examinations. “We also have much to celebrate in our health sector. We have greatly expanded the services offered at state institutions and are partnering with others to improve the delivery of a wider range of services to our people. For the average man and woman, the quality of life is indisputably much better today than it ever was.” Not rosy He admitted that not all is rosy in Guyana. “While it is true that we have done much to improve the lot of our people, I am aware of many problems that confront our citizens in the towns and in the NDCs across our land.  Many village roads need to be repaired and rebuilt. Too many of our drains are clogged up with debris, silt and weeds.” He pointed to garbage disposal as remaining a bugbear in almost all the areas on the coast and is fast emerging as a growing concern in many interior communities. Ramotar said his government has moved decisively to improve wages and salaries. “If there is any fulltime employee who is earning less than the specified national minimum wage, I ask you to contact our Ministry of Labour. We will investigate your case.  I had also promised to address concerns relating to domestic workers… From July 1, 2013 some 31,000 workers in the security sector, domestic and shop assistant will have a high wage.” He also plugged the US$840M Amaila Falls hydro power project to provide our citizens with cheap, clean and reliable energy. “This is vital in positively transforming our manufacturing and agro processing sectors. This development in turn will create higher paying jobs and challenge our youth to be builders in their own country. “The Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project will also mean significantly cheaper electricity for households.” “Guyana is working with another of its neighbours, Brazil on infrastructural integration.  A deep water port and a fully paved Linden-Lethem road would allow for Guyanese products to be traded into additional and much larger markets, benefitting many industries through higher export volumes. I am pleased to report that senior-level teams from both countries are working diligently to accelerate the realization of these projects.”