…Min Ferguson slams PPP for “same old rhetoric”

MINISTER within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson said that the 2019 budget is tailored to ensure that the ordinary man benefits in numerous ways.
Minister Ferguson made the remarks during her contributions to budget debates on Wednesday in the National Assembly.

She noted that the Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, thought it best not to introduce any new taxes, which means that in excess of $30B will now remain in the hands of the ordinary man. “Over the last 48 hours, as I listened to the arguments posited by my colleagues across the aisle, I recognise that the similar attitude and rhetoric which manifested itself in [the] 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 budgets are being repeated for Budget 2019. There are no new ideas from the opposition to advance the cause of the Guyanese people, except for those suggestions shared by members, Ms. Yvonne Pearson and Dr. Frank Anthony,” Minister Ferguson said.

She said rather than understanding the times and working with this government to deliver a better, stronger, transformed Guyana to the people, the opposition is churning up false information and stirring up dissension. “But I say to the opposite side today, Guyana shall rise, our country will be transformed, we shall not be moved…we shall not be moved and we will overcome all your divisive acts, baseless criticisms and false accusation with the evidence of our hard work. Just remember there is a time and season for everything and your time has expired,” Minister Ferguson said. The minister said government’s performance over the last three years is exceptional and exemplary, which can test the time of scrutiny.

Meanwhile, underscoring the developments in the aftermath of Guyana hosting its first International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Air Transport Meeting where in excess of 40 countries visited Guyana from different parts of the world, Minister Ferguson said Guyana’s image on the regional and international planes were significantly catapulted from one as beggars on golden stools to emerging leader. Noting some of the key accomplishments within the aviation sector for the year 2018, Minister Ferguson said 10 acres was acquired for a new permanent Guyana Civil Aviation Authority headquarters at Providence, East Bank Demerara, for its operations at a cost of G$25M.

Additionally, she said aeronautical surveillance service continued with the establishment of the infrastructure for four ADS-B/VHF stations at Port Kaituma, Kamarang, Kaieteur and Annai during 2018 at a cost of G$380M.
Once fully operational, she said the stations will significantly improve the management of the lower airspace within those regions as well as improve the safe operations of aircraft flying to those areas.

Further, she said Air Navigation Personnel (ANS) trained twenty-one recruits as Aeronautical Information Management Officers (AIMOs) whilst four were trained as Procedural Area Controllers, and six as Procedural Aerodrome Controllers and Fight Information Service Officers, using the newly installed simulator.

“This will improve the human resource capacity to manage the provision of air traffic services units at the two international airports and the Area Control Centre…. Further, a significant amount of work has been done to achieve safety compliance with ICAO’s safety standards. A target of 85 per cent level of compliance is the objective set to be achieved in 2019,” she said.

“While the opposite side with every word spoken may try to discredit this APNU-AFC government, let it be known that Budget 2019, crafted under the theme “Transforming the Economy, Empowering People, Building Sustainable Communities for the Good Life” is a people’s budget and caters for all Guyanese,” she said. She continued: “While many States in the world and right here in the Caribbean region are trying to grapple with the uncertainty of their future, our path in Guyana remains on an increasing growth trajectory and this budget, like all others presented by our government, is preparing Guyana for the endless opportunities and possibilities that will come with the expansion in the oil and gas sector.”