RUPERTEE’s councillor, Suresh Andries, rubbished the explanation given by embattled politician Charrandass Persaud that his vote to bring down his own government was a conscience one.

“It just does not add up,” Andries told the residents of Rupertee in the presence of Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan during a meeting at the Rupertee Cultural Centre on Saturday.

In justifying his position on the matter, Andries pointed out that days before Persaud used his seat in the National Assembly to bring down his own government, he sang praises to that very government. After his December 21, 2018 vote, the controversial politician was expelled from the Alliance For Change (AFC) and recalled from the Parliament. He is now being investigated by the police for allegedly engaging in money-laundering and gold smuggling. Additionally, his vote in the National Assembly is being challenged in the courts by Compton Reid on the grounds that he breached the Constitution of Guyana by having dual citizenship while being a Member of Parliament. The Constitution bars Members of Parliament from having dual citizenship.

Adding his voice to the issue of MPs with dual citizenship, Andries said the current situation presents an opportunity for the House to be swept clean of all parliamentarians in breach of the Constitution.

“This situation creates an opportunity to clean up Parliament regarding dual citizenship. The Constitution is clear! I have been made to understand… that you have on the Opposition and on government sides, MPs with dual citizenship when the Constitution says you must not be dual citizen,” the Rupertee councillor told the community minister. He said the Constitution should no longer be breached.

ORCHESTRATED PLAN
Minister Bulkan, who visited Rupertee on Saturday as part of a ministerial outreach to the Rupununi in the Upper Essequibo-Upper Takutu District, told the residents that the vote was not a coincidence. According to him, it was a well “orchestrated” plan.

While putting the vote of no-confidence motion into historical perspective, Minister Bulkan explained that while the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland’s ruling that the motion was carried by a vote of a majority was upheld by Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, the matter is still engaging the attention of the courts. Two appeals have been filed at the level of the Court of Appeal; however, the final decision would be handed down by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as the cases evolve.

He said while the Opposition has been calling on the Cabinet to resign in light of the government’s perceived defeat, the Constitution does not provide for a caretaker government. According to the Constitution, the Cabinet must resign while the government, notwithstanding its defeat, remains in office.

He called on the residents not to be distracted by the utterances of the Opposition that the government is violating the Constitution. Bulkan made it clear that the government has not engaged in any illegality and is legally in office. It is a legitimate government, the minister emphasised.

“I urge you residents of Rupertee, do not allow yourself to be distracted by this message that is being promoted that this government is unlawful or illegal. We have a budget that has been passed; the 2019 budget that allows the government to spend $300.7B,” he said.

GOV’T FOR ALL
Bulkan said although the PPP/C secured 61 per cent of the votes in Region Nine (Upper Essequibo-Upper Takutu) during the 2015 General and Regional Elections, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government did not attempt to undermine development, but rather foster growth and development in the district. He said the APNU+AFC is a government of all the people, regardless of political affiliation. Minister Bulkan told the villagers that it is the vision of President David Granger to provide equal services to the people of the country, regardless of their geographical location. Bridging the social, educational, technological and economic divides are critical to the government as it seeks to provide equitable development, he emphasised. As such, tremendous emphasis has been placed on the hinterland regions, in particular, the Upper Essequibo-Upper Takutu District (Region Nine).

In the five budgets presented since taking office in May 2015, the APNU+AFC administration injected tremendous financial resources into the four hinterland regions. “The facts would support that we have worked to deliver on that mission and on that vision to help to remove the inequalities,” the communities minister said.

In 2014, the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs received a total of $1.142B for capital projects and $434.6M for current expenditures. The following year, 2015, it was allocated $315.9M for capital projects and $668.2M for its current programme; however, the allocations increased in 2016 with $1.407B allocated for capital projects under the ministry and an additional $776,533M to offset current expenditures.

In 2017, there were additional increases, $1.471B and $991.7M, for capital and current expenditures respectively. In 2018, the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs received $1.183B and $1.036B for capital and current projects. Notably, while the capital allocations reduced that year, current expenditures increased, surpassing $1 billion. This year, the ministry has been given $815.3M and $1.115B to carry out its work programmes and projects. He lobbied the residents to throw their support behind the President and his government, noting that they should be allowed the opportunity to complete their mission.

“We are confident that whenever the next general elections are held, whether they are held shortly, later this year or whether they are held next year, based on an objective analysis, we believe that people would want to see a return of this administration,” he said.

With Guyana months away from first oil, Bulkan told the residents that it is important for them to elect the right leaders to office that will ensure that the revenues streaming from oil production are effectively managed and utilised to the benefit of the people.