— deceptive nature of APNU+AFC exposed, says Dr. Singh

A LAST-MINUTE attempt by the former A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition administration to construct what was labelled as ‘Riggersville,’ amidst confusion, uncertainty and tension during the five-month electoral impasse, was obstructed by the election of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to office on August 2, 2020.

Guyanese, after casting their votes on March 2, 2020, had to endure an unimaginable wait for the results of the General and Regional Elections, as they witnessed unlawful acts and a slew of legal challenges. In this time, the patience of the electorate was tested, as they observed an attempt by the then incumbent APNU+AFC Coalition to rip the democratic fabric of the nation, with “delay tactics” which were openly criticised by a wide section of society.

Though Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon, sought to defend the coalition by saying that claims of their attempts to rig the recent elections cannot be substantiated, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, said that there were concurrent, ulterior actions which would soon be justified by the release of critical evidence.

Dr. Singh argued confidently during the final day of the budget debates that the coalition used the five-month impasse as a cloak to conduct a land grabbing exercise, which will soon be exposed.

“They believe people do not know…these things will be disclosed… they were holding onto power between March and August for this and you will know when the facts are disclosed and charges are laid… they were busy establishing Riggersville…they think people do not know,” the senior minister said.

This pattern of deception, he argued, was set out over the last five years and actually manifested itself again over the past five days of debates, during which the coalition exposed its true, deceptive nature.

“The Guyanese people have been watching and paying attention… they were paying attention for the last five years, during the five months [electoral impasse] and they have been paying attention… they [APNU+AFC] displayed to the Guyanese people and reminded them of the true and deceptive nature of this APNU+AFC assortment,” Dr. Singh contended.

In his view, the coalition’s arguments against the Government’s proposed $383.1 billion 2021 Budget were inconsistent and disjointed. The basis for his conclusion was Harmon’s prior presentation, which was centered on the coalition’s track-record, their readiness to engage in national development and the Government’s purported diversion from inclusionary governance.

Aside from arguing that the proposed budget was deficient and defective because the opposition was not consulted, Harmon, in the same breath, encouraged President, Dr. Irfaan Ali to engage the coalition on matters of national interest.

“He spoke of the fact that they are ready to work together for national development, how they are ready to act and engage… I contrast that statement with the invitation extended by the President to former President [David] Granger to meet at a forum of former Presidents which was declined,” Dr. Singh argued.

In dismantling the Opposition Leader’s presentation, the senior minister said the world watched how “morally bankrupt,” “technically inept,” and “insincere’” the APNU+AFC Coalition is. The coalition Parliamentarians’ presentations over the past five days, like the last five years and the five-month impasse, show how disrespectful they are to the intelligence of the Guyanese people, the minister lamented.

Heckling from the opposing side of the House clashed with the ceremonial pounding of the desk in agreement with a salient point from the Government’s side, when Dr. Singh referred to Harmon’s remarks about the accusations that the APNU+AFC attempted to stall democracy being a joke and it did not happen.

This was described by the senior minister as perhaps the most blatant disregard for the intelligence of the Guyanese people, since the entire world watched as the events unfolded between March and August. Dr. Singh went as far as to cite clear examples of the coalition’s attempts to derail and delay the process.

“The Leader of the Opposition would have us believe that we all imagined [the efforts to delay the process] when the Carter Center was told [they] cannot come back to Guyana. Barring international observers from coming back to observe the recount.

“Did we imagine these things? Do we remember that the observers were brought in by a special flight and were waiting to observe? Then they were told that the conference centre had to be fumigated? Did they imagine that?” the senior minister questioned, adding: “It is okay to adopt a magnanimous tone, but stop insulting the intelligence of the Guyanese.”

Even if the images of the recent events were to evade the memories of Guyanese, Dr. Singh “rolled the tape back” to former President, David Granger’s unanimous appointment of Justice (ret’d) James Patterson as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), in 2017.
“Three lists of six upstanding Guyanese people were submitted to the former President, following the standard procedure… all 18 persons were cast aside for not being fit and proper, unsuitable to be appointed Chairman of GECOM… the reason was not obvious, we thought it was momentary disrespect and in violation of the Constitution.

“That appointment would later be struck down by the highest court of our land [CCJ] as unconstitutional. At that time, people did not understand the significance of that move… the pieces were being put in place,” Dr. Singh reasoned, adding that Guyana later saw the “true colours” of the APNU+AFC.

The APNU+AFC’s actions are enough to justify their inability to represent anyone in the National Assembly, Dr. Singh said. This aside the coalition sought to challenge the PPP/C’s compassion for public servants, noting that the budget does not include anything for them.

The senior minister believes, however, that the coalition is in no position to comment on the wellbeing of public servants, since it was them who launched political attacks on former Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon and himself, among other longstanding public servants.

Additionally, the minister said the coalition’s “moral bankruptcy” is illustrated too by their failure to deliver on promises and their “policy acts” of deception. One particular act of “policy deception” was the coalition’s increased taxation instead of a reduction, as was promised.

Contrary to the coalition’s purported act of deceit, the Government will be looking to return close to $60 billion in annualised benefits to the pockets of Guyanese, through tax relief and other measures announced during the presentation of Budget 2021.