PNC/APNU+AFC failed the people of Region 10

Dear Editor,
History has shown clearly, without a doubt, that the PNC/APNU/AFC regime, which had enjoyed majority support in Region 10, had miserably failed this Region. The facts are there, and cannot be erased, but even though their supporters know the facts, many of them refuse to accept reality.
It must be noted that the PNC had control of this country and Region #10 from 1964 to 1992, and their PNC/APNU/AFC coalition had control from 2015 to 2020. Even though they lost Government by way of a No Confidence Motion in 2018, due to their very poor performance, they refused and failed to give up power, although our Constitution mandated them to do so.
Their record of rigged elections, well documented, kept them in power until 1992, and they made attempts to rig the 2020 elections in the face of the whole world. What a shame! The APNU/AFC must stop blaming the PPP/C for their failure.
It was, and is, the PPP/C Government who brought – before and again – a better life to all the Guyanese people. It must be remembered that the PPP/C Administration had taken Guyana when it was a bankrupted country in 1992, with over US$2.1 billion in external debt, which had caused Guyana to be rated as the second poorest country in this hemisphere. At that time, the state of the country was in a deteriorated condition, unemployment was high, and both the state-owned bauxite companies had lost most of their markets during that period. We saw the closure of many bauxite mines and the Alumina Plant, and the dismissal of over 1000 workers in 1982.
Gratitude must be given to the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan, who, in the first instance, fought for debt relief; and former President and now Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who is well known as the architect of modern Guyana, moving it from being the poorest country to now being a middle-income country.
Presently, a young, dynamic Leader, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, is in the process of taking this country to a higher level. I am so proud of the leadership of our President, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and we all should be. The young people of Region 10 should review the development done by the PNC in Region 10 during their period in office and that of the PPP/C, and they would see clearly which of the two political parties had done more to improve the livelihoods of the people of Region 10, so they can make proper political decisions and don’t be misled by propaganda being peddled by the PNC/APNU/AFC.
The youths, meanwhile, would not know about the failed period from 1964 to 1992, of which I will discuss more in a subsequent letter. However, let’s just look at the performance of the APNU/AFC coalition, which is mostly the PNC, in Region 10 during the period 2015 to 2020.
(1) We witnessed the closure of the Call Centre in 2015, where over 100 young people were sent home and no effort was made to put those youths back to work.
(2) We saw the closure of RUSAL (BCGI) due to total ignorance, causing the closing of the Bauxite operation in Sub-Region Two, resulting in over 360 workers being sent on the breadline with no effort being made to get those workers back to work.
(3) We saw that rampant squatting was encouraged, without any regularisation of the layout of housing areas.
(4) We saw the taking away of the “Because We Care” cash grant of $10,000, which was given by the PPP/C Government for each school child.
(5) Over 200 food items and other items were taxed, which resulted in hardship for the citizens of the country. We also witnessed no kind of development work done, but a lot of promises being made to fool the people.
They started the construction of an athletics track (synthetic track) in 2017, and could not finish that project within three years. It was only about 20% completed when the PPP/C returned to office in August 2020, after waiting for over 5 months to take up office. This Region, and Guyana as a whole, is breathing again.
Within the first two years of the PPP/C being in office, far more people had benefitted than those who had benefitted in the 5 years of the APNU/AFC regime. Let me just highlight some of the benefits we have received to date:
(1) The return of the “Because We Care” cash grant to all school children, including those from private schools. Presently it is worth $25,000 + $5000 for school uniform, and this grant will go up to $50,000 by the end of our first term.
(2) Over 16,600 households have received a $25,000 cash grant, totalling over $400 million in Region 10. That has never happened under the APNU/AFC.
(3) Over $50 million has been distributed as flood relief to farmers within the Region.
(4) Pensioners now receive $28,000 per month, and this would be increased to $40,000 within the PPP/C’s first year. Also, pensioners have received two one-off cash grants.
(5) Over 400 house lots were distributed to the people of Linden, and the first 40 of 1,000 houses promised by his Excellency President Dr. Irfaan Ali are under construction and are near completion.
(6) The establishment of a new Call Center which employed over 100 young people.
(7) Over $175 million was spent on the development of a conservancy dam in the West Watooka farming area.
(8) Agriculture production has been expanded in Berbice riverine areas and in the Intermediate Savannahs.
(9) An agro-processing plant has been set up at Watooka.
These are only some of the things done during this period. I have not even touched on the projects that were done by RDC, the Minister of Public Works, and other Ministries in Region 10. This alone gives you an idea of the commitment of the PPP/C to the people of Region 10, as compared to commitment of the APNU/AFC.
Just imagine, massive projects have already started, such as the first leg of the highway to Mabura. This road would continue to Lethem, linking us with northern Brazil. Resurfacing of the Linden Highway to the tune of over US$120 million would commence shortly. The $364 million infrastructural works to be done in Phase 4 of Amelia’s Ward, in which 500 new house lots would be created; playfield, area for school, health centre, shopping centres, new tourist sites to be developed, such as the Kara Kara Blue Lake site and many others. New Private Sector businesses and more investors would be coming to Region 10.
PPP/C Government Ministers spend more of their time in the various towns and villages, and in the field, listening and working with the people to develop a better life.
Let us work together to achieve a “One Guyana”, so all can benefit.

Sincerely,
Andrew Forsythe