– Van West Charles, Bissessar join AFC
The Alliance for Change (AFC) is proposing a 20 percent increase for government workers should it win office after general and regional elections, due in Guyana on November 28, 2011.
Speaking to members of the media at a press conference held at the party’s headquarters yesterday, Raphael Trotman said that after careful review of Government’s financial statements, vigorous internal debates and consultations with external chartered accountants and economists, the AFC “has decided to make a commitment to increasing the pay of Government workers by 20 percent, soon after it wins the elections on November 28.”
This comes after the party committed to cutting the VAT from 16 percent to 12 percent and cut profit taxes to 25 percent.
“The Vat [cut] and salary increases will make life easier for ordinary citizens…cutting the profit tax on manufacturing and services businesses is expected to stimulate private investment and job creation,” Trotman said.
According to him, the AFC’s economic and financial experts have calculated an overall fiscal deficit of 5.9 percent to GDP resulting in a salary increase and tax cuts in the first three years of Government.
“We believe this is very manageable and easily financeable. We expect to finance this from slashing static accounts – $4 billion – and Jagdeo slush funds – $5.3 billion – over budgeted funds at the behest of the President over two years,” he said.
“We estimate that $300 million annual recurring Lotto Funds never got recorded in Government revenues. We will make sure these funds are accounted for,” Trotman said.
He said that Government properties will be rented rather than sold and this will allow the Government to raise $1 billion in funds yearly. “We will make a commitment to privatise the much abused Chronicle and NCN,” Trotman said.
He said that his Government will be able to save an annual $6.6 billion by in sourcing many public projects. “If we can save this amount through in sourcing, the fiscal deficit will move into a surplus, which opens the door for bigger salary increase from the new AFC Government,” the AFC’s Prime Ministerial candidate said.
At yesterday’s AFC press conference, two new members were outed. These were former member of the PNCR, Dr. Richard Van West Charles, and former member of the PPP/C, Rajendra Bissessar. Both of the men said that they were disenchanted with the way in which their old parties conducted their affairs and saw the AFC as the only viable alternative thus throwing their support in that direction.