CONFIRMING the statements of members of the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) that the Opposition was deliberately sabotaging Guyana’s development, former Member of Parliament for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Africo Selman told of the difficulties she encountered while trying to support funding for the University of Guyana. In an explosive interview on local radio hosted by Christopher Chapwanya on his programme ‘Hard Talk’ aired over last weekend, Selman told tales of abuse and confusion as the Opposition deliberately set out to sabotage Government’s development efforts. Expressing the view that the APNU was undemocratic in nature, Selman said that she was trying to persuade the Opposition to support the allocations so that students at the University would not suffer because of the budget cuts.

“I was disenchanted when the student loan came up (for vote in the 2014 budget) as one of the bulk items and because the Opposition believed that it would benefit the Government… we should not support it. For me that was a no no. Were I the leader, I would have supported that one because many persons are beneficiaries of the loans. I myself benefited from the loans and I said it to them but they said no, no, the Government will use some of this money for the campaign so we just have to cut it,” she said.
The Opposition with its one-seat majority in the National Assembly cut some $37.5B from the 2014 National Budget. This resulted in a number of projects being stymied and delayed for want of funds.

FEAR
Selman further pointed to the attitude with regards to persons who are willing to return to Guyana to aid in its development. She said that even though there are the relevant incentives, she feels that the Opposition uses fear to keep them away from Guyana.
“I believe that persons with skills should return to build Guyana, she told the programme host. And questioned on whether the incentives presently offered are adequate to attract the persons with the skills, she said, “I think they are but the image being portrayed by Guyanese themselves make persons hesitant.”

She explained that “when leaders are going to get up and say Guyana is pervaded by crime and insecurity … persons will not be willing to return to Guyana. If there is an environment of insecurity people will not want to come back.” Questioned further whether she was referring to the APNU, she said “yes and also the AFC.”

PNC AND APNU
The former Opposition MP also reminded that the APNU is just a rebranded PNC as the main players are all from that party. “They do not only control most of the support as they say, but their actions should tell you that the PNC and APNU are the same. Granger became the leader of the PNC and the APNU and that should tell you they are the same,” she said.
Selman urged Guyanese to not be deceived by the recently formed alliance as that may suffer the same fate of the PNC/UF alliance in 1964.

(By Raymon Cummings)