GUYANA is a market driven economy, led by the production of rice, sugar, gold, diamond, timber, bauxite, services and other resources, and while Government cites statistics to tout the nation’s economic growth, it is the average Guyanese who help to drive and expand the economy.This view was expressed by Presidential Adviser on Governance, Ms. Gail Teixeira, during a recent edition of the television programme ‘Political Scope’ aired on the National Communications Network (NCN), where she bemoaned the joint Opposition’s “wild” statements, which suggest that the successes of average Guyanese men and women are ill-gotten gains.

Teixeira was emphatic that these “wild statements” are nothing less than “offensive” to hard working, ordinary, Guyanese people. “Every Guyanese people should be offended,” she stressed.

“Every Guyanese people should be offended… is the opposition saying that famers who borrow money from the bank, who cultivate their lands, who sell their produce, who take that money and buy equipment and fix up their houses…..that these are criminals.
This fact is confusing to the Opposition as they aren’t comprised of the traditional middle class of years past. The new middle class comprises Guyanese of all races and they drive the economy.” – Presidential Adviser on Governance, Gail Teixeira

DANGEROUS CATCH PHRASES
Ms. Teixeira contends that the Opposition is peddling “dangerous” catchp hrases, such as Guyana having a “criminalised economy” – comments that beg additional questions.

She asked: “Is the Opposition saying that farmers who borrow money from the bank, who cultivate their lands, who sell their produce, who take that money and buy equipment and fix up their houses…..that these are criminals?”

Teixeira alluded to the woman who gets a small loan from the Women of Worth (WoW) Programme and decides to start a hairdressing operation at her home to better her economic circumstances and again asked if all of these persons can be classified as criminals.

She cited gold production, and stated that it was miners—medium and large scale miners, as well as foreign owned operations—that are facilitating the high production, even amidst fluctuating prices for the precious metal.

According to her, the political opposition and its “so called” intellectuals are attempting to “fudge these issues with their “easy” – albeit dangerous – catch phrases.

“If the famer doesn’t produce and the market vendor doesn’t come to her stall and sell it, and there isn’t a group of people who can afford to buy it then she doesn’t make any money. She then tells the farmer, I can’t purchase as much from you as before… that’s the economy,” Teixeira said – adding that the basics of how an economy works are not hard to follow.

“They (the Opposition) have been simmering these things for a while since 2001, but they haven’t caught on…one has to say to the Opposition, if you live in glass houses be careful,” she said.

OPPOSITION’S DILEMMA
The Presidential Adviser on Governance added too that the description of Guyanese as criminals is not only an offence to them, but indicates that the Opposition is stuck, while Guyana has developed.

“Basically it about the Opposition not living up to what Guyana has become,” she said.

According to her, the Opposition’s comments underscore the dilemma they now face, which is that the emergence of a middle class that is benefitting from an expanding economy – a result of the current Administration’s efforts.

“This fact is confusing to the Opposition as they aren’t comprised of the traditional middle class of years past. The new middle class comprises Guyanese of all races and they drive the economy,” Teixeira said.

She noted that the Opposition’s criticisms must be matched against the emergence of a new middle class.

“The new middle class is made up of all Guyanese…people who are able to buy a house, buy a car, to open a side shop….this is the middle class of Guyana. The middle class of Guyana has emerged,” Teixeira said.

She explained that the old middle class were something of an elite group, some of whom are represented in the combined Opposition’s leadership.

“The problem with the old middle class is that they are wondering where all these people (in the current middle class) came from…it is the new middle class that is driving the economy,” the Presidential Adviser said.

She stated that the political opposition should have a “mea culpa” moment and apologise to the Guyanese people for several issues.

POWER WITH THE PEOPLE
When asked, Teixeira made it clear that moving forward the Guyanese people have options available to them.

“The public can do a number of things, ignore it (the Opposition’s comments) and let it die or respond to it and say you’re offensive to us and we’re not agreeing with it and we are not accepting it; and, by the way, if you continue to say it we won’t vote for your,” she quipped.

She also underscored the fact that the Guyanese people, particularly the electorate, are with whom ‘real’ power resides.

“The public has the power in their hands. The electorate has to know that they are powerful. Ultimately it is the electorate that determines the fate of this country,” she stressed.

Teixeira noted toot that moving forward the choices are clear. “Maybe after elections we can start again and try to find solutions to solve the political issues before us,” she said.

The fact that the political gridlock was not resolved during the prorogation was bemoaned by the Presidential Adviser.

“The electorate has to sift through the noise….I don’t mind if someone comes to me with an outlandish argument and try to defend it, but that is not what is happening, people are coming up with wild accusations and there is no rationale or justification for it,” she said.

Teixeira acknowledged the existence of challenges, but was of the conviction that legitimate efforts by the current Administration have been made and failed and now the fate of Guyana is with the Guyanese people.

“The people have to recognise that the power they hold in their hands will determine what happens,” Teixeira reiterated in conclusion.