….Jagdeo questions Govt’s alleged $30M expenditure on kites
By Andrew Carmichael
President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo both visited Berbice, “the Ancient County”, on Saturday to distribute kites to children ahead of Easter Monday. They both took kites to Corriverton, Corentyne in Region Six and Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice in Region Five.
President David Granger distributing kites at Corriverton
Addressing hundreds of children at Corriverton, the Head of State outlined the significance of Easter and explained that, for Christians, Easter is considered more sacred than Christmas, since it has more significance.
He noted, nonetheless, that in Guyana we all celebrate each other’s festivals.
“So what is happening in Guyana is that all of the religions are coming together to celebrate these ceremonies and festivals and national ceremonies and festivals. So today is not a day for Christians alone, it is not a day for Muslims alone, it is not a day for Hindus alone; it is a day for all Guyanese! That is the reason that I am here,” the president said.
While noting that Easter may be significant to only some, President Granger said that, as a nation, we all celebrate the symbolic Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“What I am asking is that your children understand that this is part of a national festival. It doesn’t matter if you are Hindu, Christian or Muslim. We all know that today is what Christians call Holy Saturday. It comes at the end of a long period of sacrifice, called Lent; forty days and forty nights…,” he said.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who had also gone to Corriverton and Bath Settlement to distribute kites, met with children at Gangaram, Betsy Ground, Adelphi, and Canefield in East Canje; and at Crabwood Creek in Upper Corentyne, where some 5000 kites were distributed to children.
He noted that many persons in the communities he visited, including those along the sugar belt — which are now being considered depressed communities — want to be part of the celebrations.
“Unfortunately, the economic circumstances are not helping any of the families. So it is not an occasion for politics, it is an event in Guyana that cuts across race and religion, where we all participate in the celebration of Easter,” he expressed.
Jagdeo, who later participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Babu Jaan to mark the ninth death anniversary of the late former President Janet Jagan, questioned the amount of money Government had used to purchase kites for the children.
The Opposition Leader is of the firm view that Government did not utilize the entire $30 million it allegedly had set aside for the purchase of 5,000 kites, but that a portion of that $30 million went to support the Peoples National Congress and its Easter programme.
“So it is very ironic that this Government will spend $30 million, having claimed that they don’t have money to do anything else. $30 million to buy 5,000 kites to share in the sugar belt to kids, and they just took away the livelihood from their parents. Some of that $30 million has gone to Congress Place…, and they had to put Granger’s picture on the kite,” he remarked.
He urged all those receiving kites to remember the reason why Easter is celebrated, and he called for religious tolerance and unity among all Guyanese.
