— Teixeira

MINISTER of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, has contended that since independence to now, no government in Guyana has committed as many constitutional violations as the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

Teixeira’s comments were made on Monday, during the final day of the debate on the national 2021 budget. The Government Chief Whip accused the opposition of having an unprecedented level of “Control-freakism,” which she said has badly injured the country.
“If you weren’t on their side, you were of no worth,” Teixeira argued. She told the National Assembly that poor decisions made by the former government have had a ripple effect that deprived Guyanese of “the good life.”

The minister informed the House that on the contrary, the PPP/C’s 2021 budget seeks to improve the lives of all the people of Guyana, particularly those who are vulnerable.

“When you look at the PPP/C budgets, there is a large section to do with pro-poor and a large section to do with pro-growth in order to expand the economy to allow for the growth of businesses, and for the betterment of all of our people,” Teixeira posited.
She maintained that the ‘pro-poor, pro-growth approach’ adopted by the new government will diversify and advance the country’s economy in multiple ways.

Teixeira told the House that the PPP/C’s budget has once again highlighted the philosophical difference between this administration’s style of governance as compared to the Coalition, which she said had governed only for the elites.

Minister Teixeira accused the former David Granger-led administration of being focused on draining the country’s resources. This, she said, led to skyrocketing of the standard of living, by way of heavy taxation, while failing to redirect revenue to the people.

“You took all that you could. You sucked the country of its oxygen. People were suffocating under your leadership and you never recognised it. You never saw it. You refused to believe it,” Teixeira argued.

She contended that the PPP/C’s policies are designed to take the country forward. “We are the enablers and facilitators to make sure that our people are able to reach the heights that they supposed to have, to get the opportunities to do that, to get the support of the government and whatever goods and services we offer in order to be able to reach that,” she added.

Teixeira said that the relationship being nurtured between the PPP/C government and the people of Guyana is one that is sacrosanct, and that Budget 2021 clearly depicts the intention of the Irfan Ali administration to facilitate rebuilding of the nation through massive infrastructural development, enhancement of social services and continued support for the advancement of the health sector.

Minister Teixeira was adamant that the PPP/C government would accomplish these goals and reduce the disparities that exist within the country.