PRIME MINISTER Moses Nagamootoo sees many good reasons why the incumbent APNU+AFC coalition will be re-elected as the new government at the March 2020 polls.
In his Sunday Chronicle column titled “Same Party; New Government” the Prime Minister said that Guyana’s foreign partners have sound reasons to know that the macro-economic fundamentals are intact. “They monitor reports, like doctors checking the pulse of patients, showing that the economy is developing at 4.5%; that prospects are good for exponential growth, as Guyana is poised to become, in the near future, the single richest country on a per capita basis, once oil production gets underway. “
Describing Guyana’s democracy as stable and safe, he disclosed that our western partners and allies have influenced the crafting of long-term sustainable development plans. He added that they have access to the new “Guyana Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040”.
“They have seen the Guyana Natural Resources Fund legislation, our equivalent of the much-vaunted Sovereign Wealth Fund, and other legislative instruments that would ensure prudent management of our oil resources. They have witnessed Guyana’s adherence to anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism and integrity in public life practices, Prime Minister Nagamootoo wrote.
A veteran politician-journalist, the Prime Minister noted that the opposition is also making out a case to be elected to government. He said that the PPP/C is promising, in the lyrics of the spicy Caribbean creole medley, the moon and the stars. “Its presidential candidate is promising free education within five years, and perhaps free university degrees long before then”, he stated with obvious humour.
“They are promising to re-open sugar estates that they had run into bankruptcy, and had placed, by 2010, on the divestment block. They are promising reduction in VAT, which they had imposed at 16%. But it was reduced to 14% by the Coalition Government. They are promising everything that they failed to deliver in the past.”
He provided what he described as “compelling statistics”, including a 60% increase in the national minimum wage, that would appeal to citizens to re-elect the Coalition.