– Whittaker  tells Leguan, Wakenaam residents at separate meetings
MINISTER within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker, on Friday last, urged residents of Leguan and Wakenaam to put aside all the P’s and work together to  see one ‘P’, referring to ‘people’. Addressing residents at two separate public meetings on the islands, Whittaker said that people are at the centre of , noting that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government’s policies and programmes are geared to enhance the development of all citizens of this country.
“We will continue to pursue that path and we will not allow ourselves to be held hostage/ransom…progress and development will continue, for we are committed to serve all the people of this country,” Whittaker cautioned.
Referring to the budgetary cuts in the 2012 national budget by the parliamentary opposition parties, the minister noted that there are serious implications which will have negative impact on several initiatives, such as the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme and the Amaila Falls Hydro project.
Whittaker stressed that the cuts have a twofold effect: they will stymie development and place workers on the breadline, pointing out that staff at the Government Information Agency (GINA) and the National Communications Network (NCN) stand to lose their jobs. He argued that all over the world, government programmes and policies are rolled out through agencies such as GINA and NCN.
Noting that the LCDS has been acclaimed locally and internationally, Whittaker asked rhetorically how one can viciously cut such a crucial programme.
Turning to the 2012 National Budget, Minister Whittaker stressed that there was widespread consultations; and contrary to what some people feel, the Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh did not sit with a handful of people to craft the budget.
He also pointed out that it is government’s responsibility to prepare and submit the budget, noting that over the years, the PPP/C Government budgets were people-centered. Whittaker posited that the programmes and policies outlined in those budgets were effective, to the extent that Guyana’s economy continues to show positive growth, while other economies in the Caribbean and elsewhere recorded lesser or no growth.
The minister further noted that Guyana’s foreign exchange reserves have increased and inflation has been kept at a single digit, while interest rates have reduced. He posited that these indicators are as a result of prudent financial management.
Referring to the debt burden left by the PNCR administration, Whittaker said he was amused that former finance minister Carl Greenidge, who presided over the destruction of the Guyana economy during 1985-1992, now wants to lecture the PPP/C Government on crafting and implementing a budget.
The Local Government Minister, however, stated that government is still open to meaningful discussions with all stakeholders, including the parliamentary opposition parties