PRESIDENT, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government continue to implement measures to mitigate challenges that confront Guyanese, especially vulnerable groups. The latest being a one-off $25,000.00 relief grant for all old-age pensioners, public assistance recipients and persons who are living with disabilities and one month free electricity for households which consume no more than 75 kilowatts.
These latest relief measures amount to some $2.6B and come on the heels of the $4.6B to cushion the impact of rising shipping costs of imported goods; financial and other packages for farmers and many households affected by the recent flooding across the country; the ongoing “Because We Care” education grant and the COVID-19 cash grants implemented earlier.

These represent just one aspect of the PPP/C Government’s interventions to bring relief to all Guyanese as a result of not only the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but also due to the economic hardships imposed by the previous coalition administration. Other interventions include the reinstatement of subsidies on water and electricity for pensioners and the reversal of burdensome taxes, fees and land rental imposed on farmers and vendors by the APNU/AFC Government.
The actions of the PPP/C Government demonstrate a holistic approach to improving the lives of all Guyanese. Significantly, all of this has been accomplished within just one year of being in office and in challenging circumstances given the impact of COVID-19 on the global economy. With the continuous roll out of these relief measures, it would be disingenuous of anyone to even suggest that the government is unresponsive to the challenges faced by many Guyanese and is engaged in favouritism.

Unfortunately, those misleading sentiments are being peddled by the APNU/AFC opposition and their associates. To say it was appalling to hear what some said in a recent opposition-led protest in New York, would be a gross understatement. While the opposition is expected to keep the government accountable, the deliberate spreading of misinformation is not in keeping with working in the interest of the country and people.
To resort to pushing falsehoods regarding those benefitting from the relief measures, is a direct attempt to sow seed of discord among Guyanese. If some of what was said were to be repeated here, it would be deemed a crime in journalism. What the Coalition has conveniently and deliberately failed to convey is that Guyanese from all walks of life, including their supporters, continue to benefit from all of the interventions made by the PPP/C.

There are many recordings that populate both the traditional and non-traditional media landscapes of diverse Guyanese receiving a house lot, title or any of the derivatives of the various measures. In those recordings, all of the recipients lauded the interventions and expressed their satisfaction over the government’s efforts to bring relief to residents. Those were the actual people speaking about the positive impact on them.
It is therefore nothing short of being malicious to say that selectiveness obtained with regard to recipients. For an opposition to be so glaringly deceptive in the face of real-time reporting, speaks to an unenviable capacity to be delusional and enarmoured with the belief that people are unaware of what the truth is. It is also an insult to the intelligence of the diverse recipients including those who support the Coalition.

Through their baseless utterances, it appears that the APNU/AFC is not only desperate and uncomfortable at the deluge of developmental initiatives being unleashed by the PPP/C Government, but is intellectually bankrupt to resort to the emotive issue of race having offered nothing to the Guyanese people when in government.
With a proven lack of both vision and a track record pertaining to progress, the Coalition has not failed to attack every intervention by the PPP/C Government that benefits the Guyanese people. Yet, on the other hand, it never fails in claiming to be caring and having the best interest of Guyanese at heart. The contradiction and duplicity could not have been clearer since one cannot be caring while obstructing progress and benefits to people.