Dr. Jagdeo describes him as ‘a master at creating smokescreens’

VICE-PRESIDENT Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has called out Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton and his colleagues for attempting to mislead Guyanese by saying that the Dutch Disease (resource curse) is a “hoax”.

During a press conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Thursday, Dr. Jagdeo criticised the Opposition for doubling down on its original stance on the resource curse in order to attain their own personal agenda.
“We need to respond to the Opposition Leader formally, given that he has raised a number of issues regarding the government, and the government’s policies in various sectors,” Dr. Jagdeo said, adding:

“Mr. Norton, today at the press conference demonstrated once again that he is a master at creating smokescreens.”
Although several members of the Opposition are on record as saying that the Dutch Disease is real, and is prevalent here in Guyana, APNU members, during a press conference on Thursday, changed the script and said that the Dutch Disease, along with inflation is nothing but “a hoax”.

During their press conference, they referred to the Dutch Disease as a “bogeyman” that is being used by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government to scare Guyanese, which is actually in contradiction to their stance regarding previous matters, such as their scrutiny of the government’s mid-year report in 2022.

Dr. Jagdeo said that Norton, along with his comrades, have shown that they lack policy-making abilities, especially given their history in governmental positions.
While addressing Norton along with APNU members, Elson Lowe and Ganesh Mahipaul, on their scrutiny of governmental policies made by the PPP, Jagdeo said: “…All three of them don’t have any authority or any experience to talk about complex issues, particularly financial issues.”

Underscoring the complexities of an economy, and how to develop a country in an evolving world, the Vice-President said that his government has spent a substantial amount of time understanding and being very nimble with decision-making processes.

“They would not understand that, and that is why at today’s press conference, they basically said that the Dutch Disease is not a real concept,” he said, adding: “For us [in the government], we take this seriously, because we are hell bent on ensuring that we do not make the same mistakes that other oil-producing countries have made, in terms of change in relevant prices.”

Noting that Guyana has a strong fiscal policy and other safeguards to ensure the diversification of the country’s economy, the Vice-President said that his government will continue making strategic decisions to ensure that Guyana remains progressive.