— MP Charlie tells House

GOVERNMENT Member of Parliament (MP), Alister Charlie, has described the APNU+AFC leadership as a visionless bunch who sat in power for five years and did absolutely nothing significant to improve the lives of citizens.

Now that they are in opposition, he said, they are claiming to have all the answers for issues in Guyana.
During his contribution to the 2022 budget debate on Tuesday in the National Assembly, Charlie pointed out that no Amerindian community or hinterland region got through with their titling under the APNU+AFC administration.

“Mr. Speaker, they stalled and complicated the process but kept promising those Amerindians that they would get through if they voted again for them. Amerindians said never again and today under the PPP/C, communities are titled and more are slated to be completed by February this year,” he said.

The government MP said now $561M has been allotted for the land titling programme.
“Our Amerindian brothers and sisters will see 20 communities receiving titles this year. APNU+AFC Coalition must be disappointed and in disbelief that PPP/C Government has delivered so much and will be incrementally delivering much more after just 18 months,” he added.

He said that the government does not dress up with false promises in its approach to hinterland development as Amerindians are today fully involved in the governance and upgrading of their communities.

Adding that when the APNU+AFC Coalition Government was in power, Amerindians were walking long distances and struggling to get by, Charlie said upon return to the Office, the PPP/C Government started to invest in transportation in the forms of trucks, tractors, boats and ATVs for hinterland communities.

“Mr. Speaker, to promote Amerindian village agriculture, a sum of $411.2 million was allocated for additional Amerindian villages to benefit. Budget 2022 caters to the improvement of hinterland roads to a tune of $3.4 billion,” he told the House.

He continued: “The “Because We Care” cash grant will see our hinterland and Amerindian students getting the same amounts in Budget 2022 of $25,000 per child and $5,000 whether you are from Lethem, St Cuthbert Mission, or St. Ignatius.”

He also added that the Amerindian Development Programmes is $3.1 billion this year and will further transform the lives of Amerindians.
“I stand as proud as Budget 2022 as I turn my attention to my geographic region, Upper Takutu, Upper Essequibo, Region Nine that I represent.

I am proud to announce Region Nine’s budgetary allocation for 2022 – a whopping $4.9B. This budgetary allocation will bring changes to the lives of the people in Region Nine with the construction of a technical training centre at a cost of $35M; construction of a female dormitory at Sand Creek Secondary at a cost of $45M, an extension of Aishalton Secondary School Dormitory $41.9M, construction of CPCE training centre at a cost of $28M, rehabilitation of Annai Secondary School at a cost of $25M, construction of an infectious disease centre for $25M, construction of Kokshibai health post for $14M, construction of a Primary School at Carabaicru at a cost of $14M,” Charlie underscored.

He explained that the founding principles in Budget 2022 are based on pursuing the well-being and lifestyle enhancement of every Guyanese. Budget 2022 puts the people at the centre of economic, social, cultural and environmental development and preservation.

National economic prosperity is meaningless, said Charlie, if it does not improve the well-being of every Guyanese. Budget 2022 provides adequate levels of healthcare, education, water, housing, and sanitation and ensures the safety and security of Guyanese.

Meanwhile, according to opposition MP Dawn Hastings-Williams, Guyanese expect that the budget will transform their lives and government and provide a guiding hand and to steers a course that continues to bring prosperity to the land.

Hastings-Williams also suggested that the personal monthly income tax threshold should move to $120,000, even though her government when in power did not offer an increase close to the one she is suggesting.

The Coalition government also neglected the agriculture sector but Hastings-Williams called on the government to boost agriculture in Region One with the production of onion, potatoes and spices.