‘We have a proud record… done well, given circumstances’
--- Luncheon, Ramsammy review PPP/C’s 11 years in office
Guyana Chronicle
October 5, 2003
`If it were not for the road blocks internally and externally in our way…we could have been better off. We should be proud of what we have done, not just the PPP/C but all those private investors, the people who work in the field and the manufacturing plants and so on. We have a record that every Guyanese should be proud of.’ Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
(GINA) - The PPP/C administration said it has kept true its promises to the people of Guyana to have a Republic founded on equality and freedom under the stewardship of the National Assembly, and built on the pillars of democracy such as transparency and accountability.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, who shared a GTV 11 television programme `Close Up’ yesterday with Health Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy to review the PPP/C’s performance over the past 11 years, said the administration entered office on October 5, 1992, with a “good character”, the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan, at the helm.
The administration, he said, has since worked to rectify areas in which the former government had let down the Guyanese people including in the financial arena. The government has also struggled over the years to eliminate any trend of discrimination and has made tremendous progress in that regard, Dr. Luncheon said.
“This party has always been a truly national party and I don’t think that anyone can look at the PPP/C in government and speak confidently of a party that has been engaged in discrimination…Discrimination is alien to the leadership of the PPP/C… Let our critics go; let them select the parameters and let them bring the evidence to show the patterns of racial discrimination that warrants this liable abuse and scandalous behaviour about the confirmed and acceptable practices of the PPP/C in Government,” Dr. Luncheon said.
Ramsammy added that charges of discrimination in terms of employment are debunked when the appointment of a large quota of Afro-Guyanese to senior position in the public service is considered. He also refuted allegations of government preference for Indo-Guyanese contractors and pointed to the stringent procurement measures that have been put in place to ensure that contracts are fairly awarded.
The distribution of houselots and the loan arrangement in place for persons to build houses are also evidence of Government’s inclusive policy as settlements have been established across the country and lot allocated to persons of every race, class and sex.
“There is no real evidence that Government has discriminated against any ethnic group,” Dr. Ramsammy said. Government has also been frequently criticised for its spending in the ten Administrative Regions, with the main Opposition Party, People’s National Congress/Reform alleging that Government has neglected Region Four as it is usually allocated a small budget.
Dr. Ramsammy noted that Region Four’s budget is not reflective of the vast sums Government has expended into Georgetown, as well as the money spent by the Guyana Sugar Corporation on drainage and irrigation in Region Four.
“Again, here you have people deliberately misinforming others but what they do not talk about is that the budget is spread out,” he said.
He noted that the areas considered to be the PNCR’s stronghold, are the ones with the largest per capita spending. He did not rule out the notion that there may be isolated cases of discrimination as Government can make the policies, but the implementation may differ. In this context, the Health Minister pointed out that with the establishment of Constitutional Commissions, such as the Ethnic Relations Commission, persons can have grievances of discrimination addressed.
Dr. Luncheon noted that the critics have tried over the years to malign the administration’s record on the issue of corruption. Among the most remarkable achievements in this area, is the resumption of the country’s public accounts, which are now audited and presented annually.
In the past, the Auditor General was prohibited from auditing the public accounts of Guyana. Today, the PPP/C Government has instituted an active auditing of its accounts and the disputable expenses are laid before the National Assembly. There is an Integrity Commission to audit the assets of Parliamentarians and Government officers and a transparent procurement process, thereby eliminating room for corruption.
“We have restored public accounts and its presentation…nothing is done outside the purview of the Auditor General,” Dr. Luncheon pointed out.
He noted that when examining the financial status of Guyana inherited by the PPP/C in 1992 upon its return to office, one could confidently say the country has come a far way along the road of eliminating corruption.
Government has also made several efforts to remove corruption in other areas, such as narco-trafficking, hence the notion that government is associated with the “drug lords” are not founded on solid facts, but forms part of the Opposition’s strategy to discredit the administration.
He noted that Government has been at the forefront in the creation of the Anti-Narcotics Unit, legislation against money laundering and efforts to seek international help to curb these practices.
In the past, the PNCR borrowed US$2.1B in foreign debt, which was grossly unaccounted for, and Dr. Ramsammy noted that today, all the administration’s borrowing and spending are clearly reflected in the public accounts. The Public Accounts Committee of the National assembly is chaired by the PNCR. The foreign debt has been reduced to just over US$1B.
Dr. Ramsammy noted that quantum leaps were recorded, as during nine of its ruling 11 years, the administration has secured a positive growth rate for Guyana. Prior to 1992, the PNCR operated under a negative growth rate. Dr. Ramsammy said that from 1992 to 1997, the country recorded an average annual growth rate of seven per cent, but has since had difficulties in maintaining this figure.
He also pointed out that sugar, just over a decade ago, was being imported from Guatemala because about 100,000 tonnes only was produced locally. Today, this figure has risen to an average of about 320,000 tonnes.
In the rice sector, the productivity has risen from 93,000 tonnes to an annual average of 320,000 tonnes.
“We have diversified the economy so that things that were dead in 1992, have become self-sufficient,” Dr. Ramsammy said.
Among these are poultry-rearing, fisheries, manufacturing and investment.
In the investment sector, the Minister said that Government has secured about US$50M in direct foreign investment and billions of dollars in local investment, which placed Guyana 17th out of 140 countries in the UN World Report attracting foreign investment. All this, he said, is because of prudent economic management.
“If it were not for the road blocks internally and externally in our way…we could have been better off. We should be proud of what we have done, not just the PPP/C but all those private investors, the people who work in the field and the manufacturing plants and so on. We have a record that every Guyanese should be proud of,” Dr. Ramsammy said.
Dr. Luncheon noted that this economic growth is reflective of the development pattern being led by the administration. He however, said that Government is not, and will not be surprised of present and future accusations, as “Guyana has done quite well given the circumstances.