BRISK and vibrant statements from the Government side of the House dominated the debate in the National Assembly Thursday, when a motion was tabled for the approval of Government’s policy adumbrated in President Donald Ramotar’s address to the National Assembly at the ceremonial opening of the First Session of the Tenth Parliament of Guyana, on February 10, 2012. The motion was approved after spicy presentations from PPP/C Members of Parliament overwhelmed presentations by Opposition Parliamentarians.
Tabling and supporting the motion, Leader of the government side of the House, Prime Minister and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Samuel Hinds, described President Ramotar as “A man of the people – A man for all people.”
PM Hinds, in his review of the issues outlined in the President’s address, pointed out the intention of the President when he referred to the journey of Guyana over the past 19 to 20 years, during which Guyana moved from being heavily indebted in 1989, and rising above this in 2012, with an increase in the average per capita annual income.
PM Hinds said President Ramotar pointed out that through good management and prudence, which the PPP/C has always demonstrated, and will continue to demonstrate, there are numerous financial indicators testimony to the commercial success of Guyana during the PPP/C administration.
He noted that it was the President’s intention to urge persons to know that, “as we look to the future, we need to look back to where we had come from, so that we could be heartened by the progress that we have made, and so that we can assure ourselves that we can, working together, make even more progress.”
Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn also supported the motion while paying tribute to President Ramotar’s service as a Member of Parliament. Minister Benn supported the projects mentioned in the presidential address, including linkages with neighbouring countries which will lead to further connections in the north.
Moses Nagamootoo of the Alliance for Change did not support the motion, on the grounds that, in his view, it lacked vision, there were issues missing, and there was no particular mention of the administration’s intention to root out corruption.
He was supported by Carl Greenidge of A Partnership for National Unity, who held the same view, stating that the address was a flight from reality.
They were both rebutted by Ministers Clement Rohee and Dr. Ashni Singh. Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, told the Opposition, “Gone are the days of complaining. It is a freely traded commodity that has no VAT!”
Minister Rohee pointed out that Guyana needs to work with its traditional partners and donor agencies, adding that the projects mentioned in the address were done in the context of continuity.
Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh stated that there is nothing in the President’s address that any rational, right-minded Guyanese could disagree with, but there was an indication that all should work towards the development of Guyana.
He pointed out that Guyana has been singled out for its economic performance over the past few years.
The Opposition refused to approve the motion, with Leader of the Opposition, David Granger, saying that the address should have been comprehensive and should have embraced seriously the intentions and policies of the current administration.
Nevertheless, PM Hinds urged the entire House to look at where Guyana was 10 years ago compared to today. He stated that there was much more to do to maintain the period of steady progress made since 2005; and he urged Parliamentarians on both sides to make a total reflection and support the motion.
When put to the vote, the loud “Ayes” from the PPP/C benches were met with silence from the combined opposition. The motion was passed unopposed.