One Guyana: Two different viewpoints

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

When I think of Guyana, what comes to mind? Gold, Silver, Bauxite, beautiful and friendly people and a place that is rich in many natural resources including the latest discovery, Guyana’s oil.

Guyana is all that and more, and even though I did some research from a political point of view, nothing prepared me for what was revealed to me by Guyana’s Opposition Leader Mr. Aubrey Norton.

Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform’s (PNCR) and Opposition Leader Aubrey C. Norton pulled no punches with his words in describing the political antics of the ruling party known as the PPP –People’s Progressive Party/C led by President Dr Irfaan Ali.

“Today Guyana is an oil-producing country, but even with these resources, the people of Guyana are not benefiting. What in essence is happening is that the resources are being used to put wealth into the hands of the government elite, their friends, families, and favorites,” Norton told me.

“The government is focused on enriching itself, and its cronies. Our views are totally different,” he said. “We believe the resources from the oil should meet our people. We have been advocating for a people-centered development strategy, in which we put the people of Guyana first.”

Norton told me that his party aims to make sure that the Guyanese people’s quality of life improves, as a result of the resources Guyana has.

“It is a paradox for you to have the fastest growing economy worldwide, yet at the same time your poverty has increased to 42%. We would like to carry the income tax threshold to $150,000 monthly income. This would mean that a lot of people who are living in poverty would not be paying income tax.” 

Norton told me his party has plans to help low-income people who have a hard time qualifying for mortgages. “We have developed what we called a Rent to Own program, where they pay rent until covering the cost of the house, and thus becoming homeowners.”

According to Norton, healthcare and education in Guyana needs serious attention and his party has such a formula. Norton said many private hospitals are emerging in Guyana which he has no problem with, however, “The laws of Guyana state that citizens should be able to access free quality care, and it is our intention to do that,” he said.

After listening attentively to Mr. Norton, I had to ask him about his working relationship with the ruling Ali’s government, and here is what he had to say.

“I see Guyana as a plane where President Ali is the pilot, and you are the co-pilot. How is the flight going?”

Norton replied, “The PPP’s perception of the government in Guyana is a ‘one-seat plane’ in which one pilot is flying and they do not cater for a co-pilot.”

The PPP is focused on total domination and control and even the local government organs that should be independent are not allowed to do so. I would have liked a situation where we could engage the governing party, but there are a number of problems that we first have to address,” Norton informed me.

“We have a situation where Irfaan Ali is a puppet President, and the real President is Bharrat Jagdeo.

If you follow the news in Guyana, Ali will make an announcement, and Bharrat Jagdeo will come and say, Eehh ehh that is not it.” How do you talk with a President who does not have power in his own party?

I have chosen not to engage the President outside of constitutional matters, solely because they are a very divisive government. They are discriminating against Afro Guyanese, and even Indo and Indigenous Guyanese, who they perceive to be supporting the Opposition,” the Opposition Leader said.

“In my opinion, they are not a government for all the people of Guyana,” Norton said.

In my efforts to be fair as a reporter, I reached out to the Guyanese Consulate here in Canada and asked if they could facilitate an interview between Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali, and myself.

I was told it would not be easy to get President Ali, but they provided Dr. Ashni Singh Guyana’s Senior Minister of Finance, and our conversation began. I asked the senior Finance Minister, how have things progressed for his government since taking office in August 2020.

“We had an election in 2020,” Singh said, “And the then government, which is now the Opposition, despite having lost the election, refused to accept the results of the election.

After a five-month fight, the then-ruling party caved under international pressure and PPP assumed office in August of 2020,” Singh told me.

“Those five months that had elapsed, posed quite a severe test on the institutions of State in Guyana, democratic, judiciary and other institutions. When we assumed office, the first task laid before us was to restore Guyana’s credibility in the eyes of the international community,” Singh said.

“Since then, we have had a number of high-level visits including two visits by US Secretaries of State, and this demonstrates the renewed esteem in which Guyana is held in the global community.

Under the previous government Guyana had lost its rank as the Caribbean lead spokesperson on agriculture and food security, Caricom has now decided to reinstate Guyana’s position,” Singh told me.

I asked the Minister if he was satisfied with his government’s progress thus far. “I would say yes, we are. We are a government that is always trying to do better, and even though we are satisfied with what we have achieved, we are not sitting down celebrating.”

On the subject of the country’s oil, Singh told me that the discovery of oil has enabled his government to do two things.

“One, we can now address some of the most pressing problems like community streets, drains, education, and improvement in old-age pension. Two, we are better able now to secure Guyana’s long-term economic prospects.”

“How is the relationship between your party and the opposition,” I inquired?

“Let me say unequivocally that our party and our president, we are open to working with all Guyanese, through every available channel, be it parliamentary, we are open to working with the opposition in that regard, also outside of the parliament, and most importantly we remain committed to working with all Guyanese irrespective of where they live, work, or who they voted for.”

Singh said, “We consider ourselves a government for all Guyanese. Our President’s theme is “One Guyana.”

I brought you both viewpoints. That said, I wish Guyana well.