JERMAINE Figueira, the new APNU+AFC Government Parliamentarian for Region 10, in his maiden address to Parliament on Tuesday was full of praise for the proposed national budget, which he described as one “with a human touch.”Figueira declared, “The citizens in Region 10 are now breathing a breath of fresh air,” indicating the renewed optimism in the region brought about by the change of Government after the May 11 elections

Commenting further on the impact of the change on Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), Figueira noted that the new Government has already started to demonstrate by its action that it is a serious Government.

Region 10, he said, now has a “renewed hope and unrelenting aspiration towards their development, where the shackles of bondage have been removed and replaced with a spirit of optimism…For the first time in 23 years the citizens would have their budget requests honoured by Government.”
LIFE UNDER PPP

This, he said, was in contrast to the bad governance of the PPP while in office, especially as it related to Region 10.
He went on to describe life under the PPP in graphic terms. “The citizens of the region were in a chokehold by the previous Administration and they felt the brunt of their arrogance,” he declared to much applause from fellow Government Parliamentarians.

He reminded the House that under the PPP, the people of Region 10 suffered injustice, marginalization, unemployment and stifled development.
BITTER AND ANGRY PEOPLE
The 32-year-old MP from Linden chided the PPP for pretending to have the answers to the country’s problems only after they had squandered the opportunities they had when they were in office. Accusing the Opposition of gross mismanagement while in office, he described its members as “bitter and angry” people.

Figueira noted that the people of Region 10 do not wish to be dependent but “prefer their region to be the leader in creating employment opportunities for Guyanese, providing a skilled workforce to meet the demands of the vast development that Guyana will be experiencing this year and the years to come under this rainbow of hope, coalition Government.”

Figueira also praised the Government for achieving quite a lot in its first 100 days in office.

By Sherah Alleyne