Leguan residents condemn opposition parties’ budget cuts
Georgetown, GINA, May 15, 2012
A Leguan resident greets Prime Minister Samuel Hinds
Residents of the island of Leguan, Region Three last evening joined other Guyanese across the country in condemning the recent move by the joint opposition, the Alliance for Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), to cut several major projects and programmes proposed by the Government in the 2012 national budget.
Their condemnation came during a meeting at which Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, performing the duties of President and Minister within the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill had with residents, to explain the more than $20B cuts to the budget.
Prime Minister Samuels Hinds, performing the duties of President being welcomed on arrival at Leguan, Region 3. Also in photo is Minister in the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill and Region Three Chairman Julius Faerber
While outlining some of the programmes and projects that would be affected under the Low Carbon Development Fund, Mr Hinds said that the move will see hundreds of persons being put on the breadline.
Government, he said will not stand idly and allow the opposition to use their one seat dictatorship to take Guyana down the road of turmoil, ruining the progress that was achieved under the People’s Progressive Party administration.
These achievements, he said are scattered across the country, including new roads, state-of-the-art health facilities, schools and modern infrastructure all aimed at improving the lives of citizens.
In this regard, he said that the 2012 budget was geared at further accelerating the development pace that began in 1992, after the PPP/C would have taken over a country that was bankrupt and mismanaged.
However, Prime Minister Hinds urged that all Guyanese continue to work for the betterment of a brighter and more prosperous Guyana for present and future generations.
Thousands of Guyanese, he said who had high hopes of receiving their laptops from the One Laptop for Family Programme, the solar panels from Hinterland electrification programme and connection to internet via the fibre optic cable will now be shattered, as a result of the budget cuts.
Several other projects and initiatives including the much anticipated Amaila Falls Hydro power plant, and demarcation and titling of Amerindian lands would also be affected.
He also noted that the $6B proposed by the Government to subside the cost for electricity for Guyanese connected to the Guyana Power and Light grid was also cut by $1B.
This, he said will see consumers being forced to pay higher rates for electricity and perhaps frequent power outages.
The 2012 budget, he said was planed and prepared with much anticipation of taking Guyana to new heights, however, this he said was stymied by the joint forces of the opposition. The cuts, he said clearly demonstrated the lack of national interest by the two parties.
Minister Edghill also outlined the many effects that the cuts would have on the growth of the economy, if the opposition does not reverse its action in a timely manner.
The PPP/C administration, he said has moved the national budget from just $30B in 1992 to $192.8B.
These cuts, he said were a surprise, since the joint opposition had clearly signalled their intention to work with Government in the interest of all Guyanese, prior and during the debate of the national budget in the National Assembly.
The budget cut has also affected several agencies under the auspices of the Office of the President.
