THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has expressed deep concern at what it refers to as the anti-nationalistic stance by the Alliance For Change (AFC) in relation to the Amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill.

In a press statement yesterday, Executive Secretary of the PPP, Mr. Zulficar Mustapha, pointed out that by taking this stance, the AFC has clearly indicated that it is prepared to let the entire nation suffer, if it does not get its way.
“Such is the reality, even their staunchest of supporters are now coming to grips with, based on that party’s latest position…,” the statement said.
Noting that it has heard both the AFC and APNU indicating how important this amendment is, in their decision to send it to a special select committee, the statement interjected, “What we have not heard from them, are any tangible suggestions on what they would like to have included in this amendment.”
Such action by the Opposition parties, the statement said, clearly confirms what the PPP has been saying all along:  “The only aim of the opposition is to stall this bill past the deadline, so the nation of Guyana can be blacklisted internationally, and our people, particularly the business sector suffer.”
“Their plan of destabilizing our country by attempting to weaken our economy is a most diabolical one, more so, since our nation has been experiencing unprecedented economic growth for the past seven years and this is projected to increase with our country recording the second highest economic growth rate for 2014 in South America,” the statement continued.
Moreover, the statement notes that the Opposition’s dramatic budget cuts of over 30 billion dollars or some 27% of the nation’s  2013 national budget, is a clear example of their agenda to stall economic growth, and asks the questions: “Who suffers, if our economy begins to shrink?”
“Who suffers, if our businesses begin to downsize or close up all-together?”
“Who suffers, if our revenue base begins to decrease and Government cannot afford to pay wages and salary increases or even maintain current increases?”
“Who suffers, if Government cannot maintain its massive social sector programmes in health, education, water, housing and pension?”
“Who suffers, if Government cannot afford to assist farmers and construct critical infrastructure?”
“It is ultimately the people of Guyana who will suffer,” the statement conceded, making it clear that it will no matter who they voted for, who they support, or what they look like.
Cautioning that it is this ‘bleak future’ that the People’s Progressive Party is fighting relentlessly to stave off, the statement concluded:  “The time has come for us in a united voice to let the Opposition know that they should put the interest of the nation and our people first rather than any narrow political agenda.”
The People’s Progressive Party reaffirmed that it will continue to fight against this diabolic attempt to destroy the economic livelihood of the people of Guyana.