REGIN 6(East Berbice/Corentyne) Chairman Mr. Permaul Armagon has added his voice in displeasure to the national budget cuts, especially with respect to the reduced allocation to the media outlets, National Communications Network (NCN) and the Guyana Information News Agency (GINA). “The chopping of the monies allocated to these media agencies will severely affect the population. NCN is running a Learning Channel which consists of Mathematics, English Language, and Social Studies, amongst other subject areas, which most likely will be thrown out because of this decision.”
Speaking during one of a series of meetings held last Thursday at Canefield, East Canje, where residents were being informed of political developments, he told those gathered that the cuts may see quite a number of other sports programmes, such as cricket and boxing, suffer because of the ‘scissors’ of Ramjattan and Granger.
“People with scissors should be operating a barber shop. NCN staff will have to be retrenched. People have families, mortgages. Ramjattan said casualties have to take place. This is the kind of people you voted for.
“GINA has been chopped to a dollar. What is happening? Although they are calling for a new Information Act and for people to be more informed, they lack logic and reason.”
With respect to the Guyana Power and Light, Armagon said that government had injected $6B as a subsidy as fuel prices on the world market rose. The government doesn’t want to have the electricity rates increased, “but Ramjattan and Granger say we will take back $1B, in that there will be an increase (in) rates. But they went to Linden to say to the people there not to pay for electricity. Government say for all the years Linden was getting free electricity. They cannot continue. Their per capita consumption is three times (that) used by others on the coastland. Everybody operates a hotplate. They pay about five dollars per kilowatt hour, while their counterparts outside of that community have to pay sixty-four dollars per kilowatt hour.”
The Region 6 Chairman told the Canje residents that prior to the budget cut, Opposition Leader David Granger met and discussed with President Donald Ramotar, amongst other issues, an increase for pensioners and a gradual increase of electricity rates for Lindeners.
“But Granger somersaulted and took a different position. APNU was trying to compromise, but because of the pressure of AFC, they had to somersault. They will come around as wolf in sheep clothing telling you all kinds of lies, but you tell them that they are not working in the interest of the people. We must tell them we are not interested in their type of politics.”
Also addressing the large group through Galaxy Street was Director of  Sport, Mr. Neil Kumar. He told the group of mainly women that the People’s Progressive Party had decided to hold community meetings throughout the country to remind residents of the party’s commitment.
“We are a serious, committed, caring party which brought the country a far way. This is what Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, and Boysie Ramkarran fought for, to help the working class. Our party secured a seat less than the majority because the party did not take the election as serious as it should. Nevertheless, this is the only government in this hemisphere for the sixth consecutive (term), because of the astute leadership of Cheddi Jagan, and which continued with Bharrat Jagdeo (and) showed upward growth.”
Highlighting the country’s development, Kumar highlighted the easy accessibility to loans for low-income groups to improve their living conditions.
“No latrines, but washrooms. Prior to 1992, you were dependent, you had to fetch water in go-carts and (on) your heads; but now water is flowing in your taps, in your homes, in your yards. The rice and the bauxite industries are producing more.”
Agreeing that the Berbice River Bridge toll is high, Kumar reminded his listeners of the long hours of waiting for the ferries at the New Amsterdam and Rosignol stellings. He also repeated the need for them to ensure that each member of their household is registered during the continuous registration period.