APNU Candidate, Ricky Ramsaroop, is encouraging voters to vote against corruption and cronyism, while accusing the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government of pillaging the resources of the country.

Speaking at an APNU Public Meeting in Haslington on the East Coast of Demerara last night, Mr. Ramsaroop said the poor management of the country’s natural resources has led to the decline of key sectors such as the gold industry.

Gold production for 2024 increased slightly to 434,067 ounces compared to 432,113 ounces in 2023, but Ramsaroop alleged that declarations include smuggled gold from other parts of South America.

“The declaration that they are getting is not actually the declaration from here, it is coming from somewhere else, and it is coming from Venezuela, and they baptizing it here in Guyana and all they are doing is apologizing,” the APNU Candidate alleged.

Ramsaroop’s comments come on the heels of this week’s revelations by gold dealer and businessman, Junior Baksh, that he knows of the movement of gold from Venezuela through Brazil to Guyana for a city gold miner.

The APNU Candidate said the “gold rings” are just two examples linking the current government to turning a blind eye to major acts of corruption.

“The rings, the gold rings, they are robbing our resources; they are robbing our revenue. In every single sector and avenue they have…[and] apologies cannot replace the money. What happen to the money, are they going to return the money,” Ramsaroop said.

Back in 2023, Opposition Member of Parliament, Khemraj Ramjattan stated that the US Government had provided information about the smuggling of gold through Guyana carrying a value of more than $2 Billion.

The PPP/C Administration has repeatedly indicated that it has been tackling the illegal gold trade.

Ramsaroop said the PPP/C’s assurances are not enough and the claims of corruption against Government officials must not be taken for granted or ignored.

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