IN defending the APNU+AFC coalition government’s track record, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan Friday evening in the National Assembly said that the parliamentary opposition failed in its bid to put forward a case of no-confidence against the government.

“The defence of a no-confidence motion will be the vote that will turn it down, so you can go on and on and on… the discussion here is just to show the relevance of the PPP and especially of the mover of the motion (Bharrat Jagdeo),” Minister Ramjattan said.

Noting that the PPP has not selected its presidential candidate to date as promised, but the opposition leader still warms the seat, Ramjattan said “he wants to be the only dinosaur that survives” not giving the bright younger talents in the party a chance to serve.

Condemning the parliamentary opposition for polarising discussions along ethnic lines, Ramjattan said many insinuations and innuendos were used during the PPP’s presentation from almost every member that spoke. “They indicate that they want ethnic audits and all manner of things, making this government to appear as a once [sic] race government… we don’t want to bring on the dirty kind of politics that is polarising, racialising and radicalising people, NO! We want a situation where we can have disagreements, robust debates, but don’t step across the line,” Ramjattan said.

Adding that APNU+AFC was elected to government for five years, while the PPP was selected to serve as opposition for five years, Ramjattan said “that is only in the first instance, so please do not juxtapose the fact that what happened in the Local Government Elections (LGEs) to mean we will do badly in the next regional and general elections.”

The Public Security Minister further said that in the 23 years of the PPP’s rule, LGEs were held only once, while within a few years under the current government they was held twice. “That is one aspect of things we have done that people are proud of– local democracy; we have ensured that there is a public procurement commission now… when a number of audits were done, it showed corruption was extraordinary under the PPP and a whole set of wrongdoings were seen,” Ramjattan noted. Ramjattan described the opposition’s arguments in support of the motion, as the “most scattered and disaggregated.”

He rubbished the opposition’s claims that a government Member of Parliament will vote in favour of the motion. “They [PPP] are venturing into the dark and are hoping someone on this side will support them,” he added. “They [PPP] love to talk but we [government] are doing… and that is what will take the country far.”

DRUG TRADE
He alluded to the administration’s efforts in fighting the drug trade and importantly, human trafficking, moving from tier 3 under the PPP regime to now a tier one under the coalition government. Adding that there were improvements in tackling piracy and crime, the public security minister reminded the parliamentary opposition of the support its administration received publicly by convicted criminals during the 2001 -2008 crime wave period.
Acknowledging that currently crime is being tackled, Minister Ramjattan said he has discussed with the police commissioner, crime-fighting strategies to be implemented by the Guyana Police Force.

According to the minister, the crime rate under the coalition is still lower than it was years ago under the previous administration. He noted that reports have increased since the 911 system has been working effectively. This government, Minister Ramjattan said, is moving apace and ensuring jobs are created for young people. Ramjattan said Guyana’s relationship with Interpol and almost all the police forces in the Caribbean has improved under the coalition government.
“We have to have a lot more toleration of each other, the rivalries will be there, but the rivalries must not be subversive or operate as subversion to the constitution,” he advised the parliamentary opposition. “And it is important that we know what the consequences can be and we don’t go that far.”

DEFEND YOUR RECORD
People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Anil Nandlall said the no-confidence motion against the government is to ensure that they defend their record and policies while in office. “It is not about standing here and stating how we [PPP] have performed when we were in office; we have moved the motion on behalf of the people of this country to say to you that you have underperformed in breach of your manifesto policies,” Nandlall said.

Adding that the APNU+AFC manifesto is very impressive, Nandlall said that is the reason persons voted because they saw the promises proposed in the manifesto, but many of these were never realised. Most importantly, Nandlall said that constitutional reform which was a promise and commitment has not become a reality to date.

“The manifesto is 100 pages of undelivered promises,” Nandlall asserted. The former attorney general (AG) also cited several examples where court cases where brought against the government for violations of the constitution.
He chided the incumbent AG for his failure to make progress in constitutional reform; moreover, pointing to the failed promise of a law school in Guyana.
According to Nandlall, it is time for the government to resign, since the opportunity that they were given went to waste. “You have been given an opportunity and you have failed, so I invite you to resign respectfully, or else we will vote you out later,” Nandlall asserted.