This minority government must compromise with the Opposition

Dear Editor,
The season of anti-money laundering “betise” continues and the usual suspects are making the rounds at press conferences advocating for a case that clearly exposes the duplicity of the post-Jagan PPP administrations.  Firstly, we have come across some correspondence, which illustrates that the international community, especially the IMF, was pressing Guyana since 2003 to amend its anti-money laundering law with zero cooperation from the Jagdeo regime.  Dr Ebrima Faal from the IMF even wrote an excellent working paper on it called “Currency Demand, the Underground Economy and Tax Evasion.”
The Jagdeo regime did not want strong anti-money laundering laws then, but today the rent seekers have already made their money so they are all in a hurry to comply with the diktat of the international community.  Let us make it very clear, this deal will not close until the majority opposition gets major concessions from the Ramotar Government; so he has to put that in his pipe and smoke it. Both the AFC and APNU want the Ramotar regime to establish the long overdue Procurement Commission (PPC), assent to all the bills passed by Parliament and Local Government Elections. So when the President says that he wants the Anti-money Laundering Bill passed with no conditions attached, he is clearly in “la la land” because it will not happen. We say to the President that his minority government must compromise with the opposition.
Local Government Elections; hold it or fold on anti-money laundering.  This is real politics and the majority opposition has to take “a hard line” against the PPP cabal who continue to ignore the interests of the people and only promote those of their friends and relatives. The grassroots people will understand the position of the majority opposition if they explain it in their “New Nation” and “Key” newspapers and get their activist to distribute it across the country.  The workers already have very little bread on their table, so they would not even notice the impact of FATF blacklisting.  The crony capitalists who sheathe the PPP and continue to suck the treasury to the bone will feel the real impact.  They number less than 200 persons who are like peanuts in Guyana’s politics.
Secondly, the names from the PPP to establish the Public Procurement Commission have to sent to the Parliament or else, using PS Nigel Dharamlal’s words, the PPP is “off this project” of parliamentary co-operation. We continue to be gravely disappointed that this important message continues to get lost.  This Commission, once established, will free up most of the grease money that the ruling politicians and corrupt bureaucrats collect today. What was most interesting is that the grease money has been reduced during the Ramotar years compared to the Jagdeo years. During the term between 2006-2011, the grease money was reported at an average of some G$15 billion annually; in 2013 the estimate was closer to G$9 billion. One can hold the active advocacy of the majority opposition during the annual budget discussion in Parliament for this progress.
So, President Ramotar can shout at the top of his voice at PPP meetings or at the United Nations about anti-money laundering measure, the majority does not care nor has any respect for his words since he has been most insincere to the Guyanese people and they all know it. This is the President who refuses to lower the Berbice Bridge toll. This is the President who refuses to give the pensioners G$15,000 a month while paying for an executive jet at some G$8 million for his friend to travel to Florida who had a simple fever that could have been cured in Guyana. This is the President who refuses to pay public servants and cane cutters a living wage but pays an ordinary Freedom House typist some $250,000 per month. This is the President who says that the opposition has not produced any evidence of corruption but has so far has refused to discipline the two officials at NCN who were allegedly involved in corrupt practices.
Shout on Mr. Ramotar, the people will be most unkind to you and the PPP in 2016.
 Asquith Rose and Harish Singh