THE Alliance For Change has congratulated Member of Parliament and Chairman of the party’s Regional Management Committee for Region 2, Haimraj Rajkumar on being appointed Minister of Business.

Rajkumar replaces Dominic Gaskin, the AFC Treasurer, who served as Minister of Business from May 2015 to date. In a statement, the AFC thanked Gaskin for his “stellar service both as Minister of Business and Member of Parliament and looks forward to his continued engagement in the development of Guyana.”

Leader of the party, Raphael Trotman, commended his former ministerial colleagues who voluntarily agreed to accept and uphold the requirements of the constitution and congratulated and welcomed Rajkumar into the ministerial enclave. The party also congratulated Working People’s Alliance executive Tabitha Sarabo-Halley on her appointment as Minister of Public Service.
Haimraj Bernard Rajkumar will celebrate his 53rd birthday today, April 26th, having been born in 1966, Guyana’s year of independence.
He has been a practising attorney for 12 years, having graduated from the Hugh Wooding Law School in 2007 and was admitted to the Guyana Bar in the same year. Rajkumar’s law practice is based on the Essequibo Coast. He graduated with an LLB from the University of Guyana in 2005.

Rajkumar also holds a diploma in Pharmacy from UG and served as a pharmacist for over 15 years on the Essequibo Coast. Additionally, he holds a diploma in Marketing from UG. Rajkumar is married and has two children. He was appointed Member of Parliament in May 2015.

Meanwhile, in a statement the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) said it welcomes the statement issued by President Granger that the Coalition Government sees “adherence to the Constitution…an essential element of democratic governance and the maintenance of public trust.” The statement, which prefaced government’s stated respect for Article 155 (1) (a) that bars dual citizens from being elected to the National Assembly and upheld by the High and Appeal Courts, is a step in the right direction, the umbrella trade union said in its statement. “GTUC is encouraged the Coalition has placed on record that it is committed to upholding the Constitution unreservedly” and therefore expect full compliance. This is critical to good governance, social cohesion and national peace.

According to the body, of immediate interest in the new appointments is that of the Minister of the Public Service in the Ministry of the Presidency. “GTUC wishes Ms. Tabitha Sarabo-Halley well and holds expectation that while she may bring to the table youth, newness and fresh ideas she also brings association of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), and trust that this will be represented in a working-class focus.”
The GTUC said the minister has the opportunity to create a harmonious working climate which is essential in this sector which turns the wheel of government. “As the WPA’s representative, of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in the Coalition Government, she can best uphold the party and the working-class ideology of co-leader Dr. Walter Rodney.”

Additionally, GTUC said with the developmental trust of oil and gas and a green economy government needs a stable industrial environment, noting that the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), that represents workers in the Public Sector, has been marginalised under successive PPP governments since 1999 and this state of industrial unease is yet to be corrected under the Coalition. “This young newcomer has the opportunity to create a more harmonious environment for her government labour relations and is called on to place industrial harmony high on her agenda given the significance of this to government performance.”

PPP must return

As the National Assembly convenes today, GTUC also called for the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to return to the House. “Here the party can best represent and fight for its constituency in a climate conducive to good governance and lifting Guyana’s politics up to a level of civility. It is important for Guyana to function in a state of normalcy as we await the judicial ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice.”
“Let us give Parliament the respect it deserves. As a reminder, all Members of Parliament have been in receipt of taxpayers’ money as salary and other associated benefits. The honourable thing to do is to demonstrate their right to this by returning to the House, the nation’s highest decision-making forum, where they can best represent the people.”