Nandlall dismisses Opposition criticism of 2010 proposals
PEOPLE’S Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP), Mr. Anil Nandlall, acknowledging the important nexus between the justice sector and development, has justified the $1.4 billion allocation for the former in the 2010 National budget.
Speaking during the Thursday evening debate, in the National Assembly, on the budgetary proposals, the attorney-at-law observed that, when the People’s National Congress (PNC) was in power, under the doctrine of party paramountcy, it abolished appeals to the (British) Privy Council.
“We have established the Caribbean Court of Justice as our final Court of appeal. All of this is remedial work that we have to do. We have inherited a judiciary that was tainted by political influence.
“Today, we have a judiciary that is independent and is free to rule,” Nandlall compared.
He said, today, there is a High Court and Registry in Essequibo, a High Court in Berbice and a Family Court building is being built in Georgetown, for the first time in the history of this country.
Nandlall said the Administration has established a Commercial Court because it sees the link between commerce and development and has also created a Mediation Centre for related litigation.
He said, this year, the Courts at Lethem, Rupununi;Charity on Essequibo Coast and Leonora, West Coast Demerara will be reconstructed.
Nandlall said certain facts in the budget must be recognized.
“I have no difficulty with politicians and parliamentarians standing up and criticising and voicing their parties’ position. I have a fundamental difficulty when they will stand up, repeatedly one after the other, to state that the budget has nothing for this country,” he responded.
Nandlall reminded that $142.8 billion have been estimated for public spending and said: “My own, personal, view, is that it has to be that we, on this side, were socialised differently as a political party.”
According to him: “We came from a different political background and our perception of governance and government is radically different from the PNC.”
He said the ruling side believes that development comes at a particular price and democracy is an indispensable ingredient in it.
Nandlall also cited the manner in which Parliament is functioning from 1992 to now, with Standing Committees sitting regularly, presided over by members of the Opposition.
“Look at the transparency that we have in this country. Regularly, we hear that we are not transparent but who are we hearing it from?” he asked, before saying: ”We are hearing it from a party which, when they were in power, for 20 years they did not submit an Auditor General’s report to this Assembly.”

Consultations
Touching on consultations, Nandlall said the Government side has been accused, repeatedly, that they have not consulted but maintained that, every single day, Ministers of the Government can be seen meeting with members of the public.
“Every single day, there is consultation,” he declared.
Continuing, Nandlall said: “Our President takes his entire Cabinet into the streets, the villages and the towns to talk with the people at regular intervals. That is the consultation that we undertake and the Budget is an end result of that process. We believe in consulting with the people.”
He recalled that Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, in his presentation, commenced by situating Guyana the global village.
“And what happens outside of Guyana has a direct correlation and consequence to what transpires in this country,” Nandlall concurred.
He acknowledged there was a decline in growth in all the major economics of the world, including England, Europe, North America and, in the Caribbean, too, there was consistent decline in economic activities.
“In fact, the Budget points out that the only two economics that recorded any substantial and recognisable growth were the economics of China and India,” Nandlall reminded.
He said it is against this background that the growth recorded by Guyana should be looked at, an increase of 2.3 per cent last year, which must be commendable.
“Every other country, if we were to look at the Caribbean alone, recorded a contraction in their economy and, in fact, only Trinidad and Tobago, I think, recorded positive growth and that is because their economy is so tied to the oil industry,” Nandlall contended.
He said, in face of that, Guyana recorded positive economic growth for four consecutive years, in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Nandlall said it was as a result of an increase in sugar and rice production, with rice recording the second highest growth in the history of the industry.
He said the mining sector excelled in gold production and there was a decline in bauxite and diamond but, at an aggregate level, this country showed a positive growth rate in the latter industry, as well.
Nandlall said the livestock sector increased productivity and, as well, growth was recorded in the manufacturing, transport and communication sectors.
“How is it that we are able to record growth in these various sectors under this bad management of this economy that we keep hearing about from the other side,” the MP questioned.
He said the other side can criticise but must give credit where credit is due.
Nandlall said Guyana has a balance of payments surplus of over US$235M and it has caused the Bank of Guyana to increase its external reserves to US$628M, the highest in the country’s history.
“And we were able to achieve all of this whilst we kept the inflation rate at a manageable level of 3.6 per cent,” he told the House.

Increases
He concluded that, against all of that, the Government was able to pay across the board increases in the public sector salaries at a rate of six per cent last year.
Alluding to some aspects of the development agenda outlined by Minister Singh, Nandlall said, this year, Guyana will continue to be a leading force in the international arena to establish a new model of low carbon economic development.
“And we are leading the world in this regard,” he boasted, mentioning the signing of the historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Norway, which, when implemented is expected to earn Guyana approximately US$250M by 2015.
Nandlall said, although the administration recognises the importance of diversifying the economy and will continue to strive to do so, it also recognises the importance of the traditional sectors and the fact that they continue to form the foundation.
“We pledge to implement the necessary policies to improve and modernise these sectors in order to make them more productive,” he said, assuring that work will continue in the sugar industry with approximately G$10 billion to be invested this year to modernise land preparation and the factories; increase mechanization and complete and make the Skeldon Sugar Factory fully operational.
In addition, Nandlall
said the sugar packaging plant at Enmore is expected to be completed this year, enabling Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to supply some 10,000 tonnes of the packaged product to CARICOM, United States and United Kingdom.
He said Government will continue working so that the rice industry can continue to enjoy the high levels of production as over the last year, with the new seed facility to be built at Number 56 Village, Corentyne, Berbice and a new seed drier to be purchased for Burma Research Station, East Coast Demerara.
Nandlall said more drying facilities will be made available in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands), Four (Demerara/Mahaica), Five (Mahaica/Berbice) and Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).
In mining, he said Government will continue to work with gold and diamond miners within the framework of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) to assure continued prosperity in that industry.
Nandlall said, importantly, too, Lethem is targeted for some serious development this year, as it is known that, with the opening of the Takutu River Bridge, there is a heightened degree and level of commerce in the Rupununi area.
He said the Lethem Industrial Estate will be completed this year and a fibre optic cable will be laid along the Linden to Lethem road, all the way to Providence East Bank Demerara.
Nandlall remarked that Alliance for Change (AFC) MP, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan criticised the Government for laying the cable so as to allow certain of its friends to get the work and PNC MP, Mr. Aubrey Norton accused the Government of not giving it to the private sector.

Confusion
He responded: “So I don’t understand how we can satisfy the Opposition, The Opposition is in confusion.”
Nandlall revealed that a team of consultants from India are presently in Guyana doing a feasibility study for the construction of a deep water harbour in Berbice River and, if that is created, a road will be built from Lethem to New Amsterdam, opening an entire new area of the country.
Continuing, he said, if Guyana provides Brazil with that access, there will be an avalanche of trade originating from that area.
He said another significant achievement last year was the certification of Ogle as an international airport and the budget lists a number of aerodromes and airstrips that are to be rehabilitated this year.
Nandlall said, from 1992 to now, the Government has consistently invested almost one-third of budgetary allocations to the social sector and this year, again, it is no different.
“We believe that the best asset and the greatest asset to this country are the peoples of this country and, every single year, we invest heavily to develop them, to improve their lives and their welfare,” he said.
Touching on housing, Nandlall said that sector was dormant, non-existent under the PNC, which closed that ministry and one of the first things that the PPP/C did when it took power in 1992 was to re-establish a Ministry of Housing and  aggressively pursue a national housing policy.
He said, so far, at least 90,000 house lots have been distributed, with 5,500 more and 3,750 titles expected to be allocated this year.
Nandlall said the budget spawns 63 pages, tracing development through this year.
“And then speaker after speaker from the Opposition stand and repeat, like a mantra, that the budget has nothing for the people of this country.
“You are free to criticise but you must do so constructively and with credibility, because you are an important set of people for the development of this country,” he concluded.

Haiti relief further boosted by several donations
THE Guyana National Committee for Haiti Relief, which was established by President Bharrat Jagdeo to aid Haitians in the after effects of the massive earthquake, was further boosted yesterday with more donations.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security Ms. Priya Manickchand received the contributions on behalf of the National Committee at the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Thomas Lands, Georgetown.
The Guyana International Relief Organisation together with the Guyana Islamic Trust made a presentation of $500,000 and a quantity of clothing, and a representative, Mr. Mohamod Mujay, informed the minister that the organisation will strive to ensure that this initiative continues.
The Bartica Lion’s Group and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church donated$332,000 in cash and $57,340 and a quantity of clothing respectively.
Present at the handing over ceremony were representatives of the Christian and Muslim communities as well as from the Guyana Action Party/Rise Organise and Roar (GAP/ROAR) party.
Ms. Manickchand  said she is very enthused by the continuous response from citizens, both public and corporate, to the Committee.
She is encouraging all to offer sincere prayers for the Haitians as their situation has been worsened by rainfall which is causing flooding. She added that prayers must not be just for their physical relief but to give them more faith. “This is a time of testing for them. They need all their strengths,” she said.
The minister also commended Guyanese for their kindness during this period alluding to the fact that Guyana has been recently ranked as the most generous country.