AS THE more careful monitors of the local media in this country would be aware, there are print and electronic enterprises that seem to delight in competing regularly to thrash the Government, even to the extent of hurting Guyana’s vital interests.

Consequently, whatever policies and projects are launched by the democratically elected Government, as it has been since October 1992, after a quarter century of rigged elections by the PNC, the anti-Government media would use valuable space and time to denigrate and spread confusion, while trying to avoid the muckraking Opposition – that’s the standard fare of the what’s mistakenly associated daily with a ‘waterfall’.
In making this regrettable observation, two national issues readily came to mind: Firstly, the success by the Government in securing a matured initial response from the International Co-operation Review Group of the Financial Action Task Force that would facilitate Guyana in rectifying lingering deficiencies in its AML/CFT regime.
Normally, parliamentary Opposition parties, committed to sustaining democratic traditions, in a rule of law environment, and anxious to enable the social and economic progress of the nation, may have welcomed this development as an opportunity to share in the optimism for future Guyana/FATF relations, particularly, following the inimical petty politics that had gravely threatened Guyana of being placed on an international “blacklist” as a country in default of required fiscal management legislation against money laundering and other financial crimes. Alas, the prevailing coalition of Opposition parties remains stuffed in their campaign of denigration and hostility.
Consequently, now that Norway continues to demonstrate faith in Guyana’s social and economic progress via its high profile multi-million dollar climate change project, in which approximately US$200 million are being invested in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), it would come as no surprise should the Opposition parties and the anti-Government media fail to take notice.
Yet, Norway’s commendable faith in a continuing partnership in the development of this nation’s vast forestry and other natural resources would remain a stimulus for further mutual cooperation in a project that continues to attract attention by international agencies and institutions.
In this context, we concur with President Donald Ramotar in his observation this past Friday, while welcoming Norway’s latest release of funds for the forest and climate change partnership that had become a reality-as all Guyanese and the international community would be aware-during the final term presidency of former Head of State, Bharrat Jagdeo, a name now well recognised in international preparation efforts for climate change.
In his official address, President Ramotar observed last week that the Opposition APNU/AFC coalition did their utmost o frustrate the continuation of what was earmarked as Guyana’s single largest multi-million economic development programme, the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, estimated to involve expenditures of no less than US$150 million.
We conclude for now by reaffirming what we editorially observed a week ago in relation to the Opposition’s blocking of relevant AML/CFT legislation, as favoured by the Financial Action Task Force.
The observation was that together the APNU/AFC coalition stands to pay a heavy price when the time comes, as it’s coming, for the electorate of this nation to make their fateful decision on Guyana’s future.