APNU’s David Granger has unwittingly admitted that this country is now experiencing unprecedented economic and social development when he declared that drug money is responsible for Guyana’s economic growth.In other words, he is saying that Guyana is a ‘narco state’, but he cannot believe that despite all the APNU and AFC evil efforts to destabilise and obstruct economic progress, this Samsonite PPP/C government has persevered and prevailed over all those insurmountable odds. Therefore, the only asinine conclusion that the Leader of APNU could muster is that ‘drug money’ is responsible for the economic prosperity of this nation. This is a serious indictment against our nation and this aspiring president should submit hard evidence to back his insane and inane outbursts. His Excellency President Donald Ramotar has challenged him to provide evidence to support his claim, but I am positive that Granger will do a Ramayya on that one. The President has provided hard facts and evidence, but what can you provide, Granger? Even with the drug trade thriving during the PNC era, they still managed to bankrupt this country! People who lie and deceive to achieve political office should never be trusted; and once again Granger has reminded this nation about the PNC’s 28 years of lies, deceit, mismanagement, corruption and criminal activities and political crimes. Should this man ever be the president of this country, he has the propensity to make the late Forbes Burnham resemble an altar boy. Granger should know that as a ‘wannabe’ president he cannot insult the sweat and hard work of the same Guyanese people he wants to vote him into office – or is it that he now realises that he can never be that, so the ‘grapes are sour’? It seems that Granger and his boys are sleeping in Parliament. Every year when the estimates are presented, the expenditures and the sources of those expenditures are clearly stated therein. I am quite confident that there are no line items saying ‘Narco Income’ or ‘Narco Expenditure’; and if Granger is concluding that the ‘drug money’ was effectively laundered in the economy, then the question is: Why did APNU and the AFC not support the Anti-Money Laundering and the Countering of Financing of Terrorism Bill in Parliament? This would have effectively blocked the loopholes that are there to ‘clean’ the drug money and our economy would have collapsed and the people would have voted APNU and AFC as the next government! But APNU knows that they can create more destruction by having Guyana blacklisted, cripple trade, cripple foreign and local investments, increase the cost of living and effectively erode the economic progress our country has made, especially during the last eight years! They know that drug money is not the major problem in this country. The major problem that APNU and AFC have is to get into power by whatever devious means possible. Guyana is not a ‘narco state’! Whether Granger believes it or not, President Donald Ramotar and his team have more resilience and competence than he could ever imagine and progress will continue, with or without him. The PPP/C government has taken this country out of the ‘doldrums’ and has converted it into the ‘promised land’ by hard work and astute management, not through thievery and corruption. HASEEF YUSUF AFC Councillor, Region 6