In face of present-day challenges…

President says let the ‘heritage’ of struggle inspire action today

PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar has underscored the rich heritage of Indians in Guyana, and has called for that heritage of struggle against Indentureship and colonialism to be the nation’s inspiration in the face of present-day challenges.

Yesterday, on occasion of the 176th anniversary of Indian arrival in Guyana, the President lamented the fact that several major transformative projects intended by his Government to improve the lives of Guyanese citizens have been affected by the Parliamentary Opposition’s vote in the National Assembly during the 2014 Budget review. He cited as an example the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP), funding for which has been denied by the opposition in Parliament.

Addressing hundreds of Guyanese at the opening of the BalNivas children’s home in Ankerville, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), he said the 2014 Appropriation Act which was passed in the National Assembly on April 16 was assented to by Acting President Samuel Hinds last Tuesday evening in the prescribed time. However, the Act reflects $37.4B in cuts to the $220B budget that was presented by Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh.

The implementation of many programmes and functioning of many entities, including the Office of the President, have been affected by the Budget cuts, with some allocations being reduced to zero.

Under the allocation for the Office of the President, the cuts include: $245M for the Presidential Guard services; $95M for the provision of developmental and humanitarian aid, among other initiatives; $10M for the Office of the First Lady; $73.5M for the Guyana Energy Agency; $119M for the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest); $122M for the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST); $17M for the Integrity Commission; and $28.5M for the Office of the Commissioner of Information.

The other cuts include $18.5B for the LCDS initiatives; $450M for loans for University of Guyana students; $725M for the poverty alleviation programme; $7M for the different rights commissions; $795M for the Basic Needs Trust Fund; and $4M for support to non-governmental organisations and the private sector.

Also on the chopping block were: the Specialty Hospital – $910M; upgrading of regional and district hospitals, including Port Kaituma, Kwakwani, Linden, Bartica, Eye Surgery Operating Room at Linden etc. – $360M; ambulances, ATVs and boats – $42M; surgical equipment and instruments – $32M; the Amerindian Development Fund – $1.1B; other Amerindian programmes, such as ATVs, tractors etc. – $40M; the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) modernization project – $6.6B; Civil Aviation – $50M; and hinterland airstrips – $185M.

WE WILL HAVE HYDRO
Despite the uphill battle that his Government faces in light of the massive budget cuts, the President maintained that the fight is not over.

“We will have hydro!” he said.
According to him, the Amalia Falls Hydro Power (AFHP) Project is one “every Guyanese” can benefit from.

President Ramotar stressed that Guyana can save $9B in subsidized electricity cost and on the $40B fuel bill, particularly since the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) could buy electricity from the hydro-power set-up for a mere US 11 cents, compared to its production cost of US 19 cents and US20 cents per kilowatt hour.

These savings, he said, help to make enormous contributions to infrastructural development, particularly needed in Guyana’s hinterland, to aid and accelerate economic progress.

In the 2014 Budget considerations, both opposition parties supported the allocation of $1.3B for provision of the Amaila access road and related structures under the Ministry of Public Works’ 2014 budgetary allocation; but the $16.8B for the actual project, which was listed under the Ministry of Finance’s 2014 allocation, was disapproved by the parties.

The project involves construction of a hydropower plant in the area of west-central Guyana where the Amaila and Kuribrong rivers meet. Electricity produced at the plant would be delivered to Guyana’s capital, Georgetown, and its second largest town, Linden.

The AFHP is expected to result in substantial savings to the nation’s coffers, particularly in terms of foreign exchange and the purchase of heavy fuel oil. The potential benefits of a more stable and reliable source of energy via the advance of hydro-electricity has also, last December, been spotlighted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as an area for continued focus.

President Ramotar’s position on the matter is that economies must serve the people, not vice versa; and with an expected saving of $9B in electricity subsidies, as well as savings on the $40B fuel bill, enormous contributions can be made to infrastructural development, particularly needed in Guyana’s hinterland to aid and accelerate economic progress.

On July 18 last year, the combined opposition defeated the Hydro Electric Power (Amendment) Bill. In August, the Government brought the issue back to the National Assembly and received the support of the Alliance For Change (AFC), but A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) voted the bill and motion down.

LOOMING THREAT
The President also cited delay in enactment of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Amendment Bill as another challenge and looming threat for Guyana.

The Parliamentary Special Select Committee currently reviewing the Bill concluded its review of the proposed amendments by the Opposition last Wednesday, and is expected to consider counter-proposals made by the Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, on behalf of the Government, when it meets again.

“I need the support of every one of you to get past this challenge,” the Head of State told the gathering, as he noted that the actions of the combined Opposition are undoubtedly opening Guyana to danger.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Saturday, he said, “We see by their action that they are opening our country to danger…they are creating a weakness in our legislation by making our country non-compliant. They are fighting a very important measure. I find it extremely disturbing.”

“…they have opened our country to serious danger, because this Bill, which is a result of international agreements for countries to have similar legislation to fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism, is why the sanctions are so severe.”

The President lamented the fact that the reasoning and explanations on the need for the enactment of the AML/CFT Bill by a high-profile CFATF team which visited Guyana two weeks ago seems to have been ignored.

He said, “The CFATF team came into the country and explained to all and sundry the dangers that Guyana faces if we become blacklisted, and how much it can harm Guyana. The fear also is that it will also affect the rest of the Caribbean.

“What we are seeing is the Opposition totally disregarding this.”
The President questioned who the Opposition is defending by opposing the Bill. Guyana has already been blacklisted regionally by CFATF, and the final deadline for Guyana to ensure compliance with recommendations of the CFATF is May 29. If that deadline passes without enactment of the AML/CFT Bill, Guyana would most likely be recommended to the international body, FATF, for review by the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG).

And if that is done, Guyana could face further sanctions, including being put on the international blacklist.

(By Vanessa Narine)

extract from Guyana Chronicle