The political party, A New and United Guyana (ANUG) has lashed out at the Irfaan Ali- led government over its governance policy since taking office, declaring that there is an alarming trend, in which the government has been marginalizing those who are not perceived to be among the party faithful in favor of those who are perceived supporters of the governing People’s Progressive Party.
In a two-page statement, the party which has Senior Counsel Timothy Jonas as its Chairman said the government is shaping institutions and systems to facilitate easy access to state resources to pursue what ANUG calls, the government’s divisive agenda.
“Our democratically elected Government is using the absolute power enjoyed under the current Constitutional system to consolidate its power, to streamline up its unobstructed access to State funds, and to exclude any non-PPP Guyanese from access to information which would enable scrutiny of its management of the country and its resources. First, the Government used its majority in Parliament to authorize an increase in the amount of money it may borrow. It then began to spend large sums of money on ad hoc and poorly monitored cash hand-outs and inadequately audited and poorly monitored contract awards,” ANUG said.
As it relates to the awarding of contracts, ANUG opined that where kickbacks are easy and party loyalty can be rewarded, qualification criteria were and are being overlooked or ignored altogether, further pointing out that the bidding processes are being undermined.
“The party faithful are receiving their rewards. Most recently, the Government has indicated its intention to use its majority in Parliament to amend the Petroleum legislation by removing any meaningful safeguard against its unrestricted access to the Oil Fund. The spending spree will now ramp up,” ANUG said.
The party which is represented in parliament as part of a joinder list, noted that the hardships endured by those not numbered among the party faithful are equally unacceptable, as is the Government’s treatment of those categories of Guyanese who traditionally fall within the ranks of Opposition supporters
“When teachers ’concerns were in the spotlight, the Government did not ‘have time ’to consult the Teachers ’Union, which it deemed to be political. Most egregious was the unilateral 7% increase for public servants. This increase was not offered with an apology and expression of hope for better. Ashni Singh was ‘pleased to announce now that your Government will be paying an across-the-board increase of seven (7) percent to public servants, teachers, members of the disciplined services, constitutional office holders, as well as government pensioners. ’A clerk in the public service will therefore receive a monthly increase of five thousand dollars. But $250,000 handouts were given gratis to sugar workers!”
The party said Guyanese must consider what it is that they want for Guyana, and how those dreams can be made reality explaining that one side cannot simply ignore the wishes and views of the other side.
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