Ali promises reversal of Govt’s economic onslaught on Amerindians

…“Your rights are important” – tells massive Moruca rally

The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government continues to trample on the rights of the Indigenous peoples and a People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government would ensure that those rights are restored along with honest and decent leadership, according to the party’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali.

Ali was at the time addressing a gathering in Santa Rosa, Moruca, Region One (Barima-Waini), as part of the party’s March 2 General and Regional Elections campaign. He was accompanied by a number of PPP/C Executives inclusive of General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo and former Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira.
Speaking directly to the issues affecting the Indigenous communities, the former Housing Minister noted that under the PPP/C, those issues would be given top priority.
“Your rights are important. Your rights to land, your rights to forest, your rights the minerals, your rights to development, your rights to electricity, your rights to housing, your rights to water, your rights are important. We in the PPP/C have outlined a clear vision in which we will [work] to ensure that your rights are protected and that you here in Region One have an equal share in the development of Guyana as every other Guyanese,” Ali said.

Ever since his election as presidential candidate over a year ago, the former Housing Minister has been travelling the country in an effort to completely understand the issues affecting the citizens. He noted that from those information-gathering missions, he was able to work with his party to formulate policies and plans to address the issues.
Ali noted that the citizenry, particularly in the remote areas, feels left out. He explained that, particularly in Region One, the issue of old-age pension is a big one. Pensioners have to travel, for days sometimes, to uplift their pension and a long journey means higher travelling expenses.

“When I visited the communities over the last year in the Region, they [pensioners] complain that not only they have to wait days for the pension but they spend over half to travel to get the pension. We have to fix this on March 2. When we elect the People’s Progressive Party/Civic we will be fixing this.
“We are voting to ensure that our children and our young people must have the same access as any other young person from any other part of Guyana. Young people here are no different. They have the same potential, the same capacity and they have the same capabilities. The only thing they don’t have is the access that other people gave and now as we move forward we are outlining to you a clear plan in which we will bridge the gap to ensure that we give you the same equal access and opportunities so they can compete on every level,” Ali outlined.

Failing the hinterland
Additionally, the presidential candidate accused the current Administration of failing the hinterland residents since they have done very little to address the high cost of transportation. He said that residents in riverine and hinterland communities have been relentlessly complaining about the big chunks of their earnings that have to go towards transportation.
“One of the important problem we must address is transportation. We have to reduce the cost of transportation because it is taking up too much of your money which can be used for other things…The transportation plan must see removal of taxes on air travel, will see more spent on hinterland roads, direct support to riverine communities.”
He further related that they will build a transportation network so that residents would not have to complain about the lack of transportation or high costs, especially when they have access to health and education services.
Shredding the APNU/AFC campaign slogan of “honesty and decency”, Ali accused David Granger of being dishonest and indecent. He said based on Granger’s track record of not disciplining his errant Ministers and being unable to account for public funds, makes him one of the most dishonest leaders in the country.
Speaking to issues of the mining industry, Ali said that since the Government came to office, over 60 per cent of the dredges that were operating prior to 2015 have closed up shop and left. This, he noted, has resulted in the loss of employment of over 7000 persons which adds to the list of unemployment.
“More than 70 per cent are Amerindian jobs. That is why I have said that you got the greatest of onslaught because they hit you on the CSO programme, they hit in forestry and they hit you also in mining. This is the type of onslaught we have to reverse on March 2. The way we are going to reverse this is by voting solidly for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic.
“We are voting for the restoration of jobs, we are voting for the restoration of mining, the restoration of forestry, the restoration of the LCDS, the restoration of the village economy. We are voting because we want to ensure that our children have a brighter future. We are voting because we want to ensure women are empowered,” Ali urged.
On the oil and gas front, Ali told the gathering that it is the firm belief of the PPP/C that the resources of the country belong to all citizens and that they would ensure that everyone receives their equal share of benefits. He rapped the Government for their lack of creation of opportunities for the residents of Region One, noting that his party will fix that once elected to govern.

Long history of struggles
Going back to before the PPP/C took office in 1992, former President Bharrat Jagdeo said that the Indigenous peoples did not enjoy the basic respect for their rights. He noted that the PPP/C have long fought for the Indigenous peoples and will continue doing so.
“When we got into office after a long struggle and we returned people’s right to choose their Government, Amerindians owned just over 6 per cent of Guyana. By the time we left office, they owned, in titled lands, over 14 per cent of Guyana. We left US$10.2 million from the Norwegian fund that we got through the Low Carbon Development Strategy to continue the land titling programme. US$10.2 million is over GY$2 billion and they (APNU/AFC) have not titled a single Amerindian village until recently. After the no-confidence [motion] they busy running around.”
He added that the PPP Administration passed the Amerindian Act to give more rights to Indigenous people to determine a pathway to “owning land, to give Amerindian people subsurface rights – one of the few countries in the world that allowed subsurface rights and they tried to undermine the Act. In 2001, we had a single Amerindian doctor by 2014 when we left office we had over 140 Amerindian doctors.”
He further reminded that it was under the Jagan Administration that the Amerindian Heritage celebrations came about.
“We have a long history of this, of struggle to bring rights to Amerindian people and to ensure that their rights are not neglected. In the constitutional reform, we created an Indigenous Peoples Commission, they now trying to water down Amerindian representation on the Indigenous Peoples Commission,” he noted.
Jagdeo told supporters that they will continue the fight to restore honesty and decency in Guyana while accusing the David Granger-led Government of being the most corrupt in Guyana’s history. He took the time also to rap the Government over the development they are boasting about.
Referencing the recently constructed bridge at Moruca, Jagdeo noted that the project is one way of the Administration financing their heavy spending. He explained that since they took office, the coalition spent almost $1.2 trillion and significantly increased taxes, ultimately taking much-needed monies out of ordinary citizens’ pockets.