Guyanese now “poorer” after APNU/AFC’s heavy taxes, policies – Dharamlall

Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall is contending that Guyanese are now poorer than they were five years ago after the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change’s term in office.
This, he said, is reflected in the public consumption statistics, which declined by some 13 per cent.

The Minister delivered his budget presentation on Thursday, noting that the increased taxation under the previous Administration has resulted in less money circulating in the economy. Because of this, public consumption decreased by some $70 billion within the coalition’s five-year term in government.
“The APNU/AFC ran a donkey-cart economy. On the issue of private consumption, it fell more than $70 billion between the 2014-to-2019 period – a 13 per cent decline. People are poorer in this country because of the APNU/AFC and because of the taxation policies, borrowing policies, and because of their policies to squander the resources…Less money is now circulating in the lives of poor people in the villages,” Dharamlall declared.
In this light, the new Minister promised a reversal of the current situation, and pointed to the removal of taxes in critical sectors.
Government has already announced that pensioners would receive free water, with the overall removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity and water also slated to be announced.
It was announced that VAT would also be removed from all medical supplies, not just those related to treating COVID-19 and its symptoms or Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
VAT will also be removed from hinterland travel and cellphones, as well as building and construction materials. The Government will also be removing corporate tax on private education and health care, a measure likely to bring the service costs down.
“All of this is going to be reversed. We’ve already begun to reverse it in the last 45 days of our Government…We have to rebuild lives and our government has been very clear on this. We have been very responsive in the last month and we continue to be responsive to address the needs. At the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, we will oversee the implementation of over $51.232 billion,” he insisted.
Apart from these exorbitant taxation measures which were introduced, the Minister called out the former coalition Administration for failing to maintain public infrastructure and introduce initiatives to ease the everyday woes of Guyanese, especially in remote areas.
Some of the projects which will be undertaken by the new PPP/C Government in communities include new bridges, road extensions, rebuilding schools, increased electricity and water supply, rehabilitation of hospitals and teachers’ quarters among other initiatives. Most of these are focused on improving the conditions so residents can access better facilities and services.
“We will have to do it, because you didn’t do it properly…When the PPP was in Government, we built over 800 schools. Not a single school APNU/AFC has built in any of the regions,” he said to the APNU/AFC camp.

Discrepancies
Meanwhile, Dharamlall said that after examining the records of the dissolved Communities Ministry, it was found that monies that were allocated for works in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) were being used to repair the National Gymnasium – located in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
He cautioned the former Ministers and senior officials that investigations would follow for these dubious spending activities.
“I was going through the reports of the regions and $12.5 million from Region Five was used to rebuilt the National Gymnasium…Buckle up because we are going to roll out a plan to investigate every single corrupt activity that all of you have been involved in,” he told the Opposition.
He said evident misappropriation of funds also followed for other regions. In Region Five, two incinerators were built for $12.5 million and in Region One (Barima-Waini), the same contractor built one for $5 million. The Minister questioned how over $2 million extra was spent in Region Five, even when costs were much higher in Region One.
“They built two incinerators in Region Five – Fort Wellington and Mahaicony. Then, they built the same incinerator in Region One. The Region One incinerator, built by the same contractor, cost $5 million,” the Minister stated.
The Budget debate will wrap up today.