THE Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG) is calling on the parliamentary opposition parties — the Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) — to immediately withdraw the cuts made to the 2013 National Budget, so as to enable the advancement of Guyana’s social and economic development. TAAMOG president Peter Persaud yesterday issued a statement on the organisation’s behalf, condemning the budgetary cuts and contending that the opposition parties were maliciously using their one-seat majority to be irresponsible, anti-national and unconstitutional.

Persaud noted that Guyana is now firmly positioned on course to national prosperity, but this irresponsible and anti-national behaviour displayed by the AFC and APNU will stifle Guyana’s bright prospects for growth and development and contribute to “social and economic backwardness.”

“Is this what the APNU and AFC want for Guyana and the Guyanese people?” TAAMOG asked. “If so, these parliamentary parties are not serving any useful purpose in our Parliament, where the proper representation of their constituencies is concerned.”

According to Persaud, the Amerindian communities have claimed they will take a firm position against the opposition parties, should they cut the budgetary allocations to the Government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
He explained that the Amerindian communities are all patiently awaiting implementation of their respective community development projects (CDPs), along with the Amerindian land tilting, demarcation and extension projects.

Persaud also questioned whether the Amerindian Members of Parliament (MPs) of the AFC and APNU would follow the narrow political agenda of their respective parties and allow the LCDS provision to be cut. He said Guyana’s LCDS continues to be admired nationally and internationally as an initiative that will bring social and economic development to Guyana while fighting against the dangerous consequences of global climate change.

He reiterated that the Amerindian communities of Guyana stand to benefit both socially and economically from the LCDS.