-PNCR’s Figueira says, blasts opposition for ‘anti-development machinations’

BLASTING the ‘anti-development machinations’ of the Peoples National Congress Reform, Jermaine Figueira recently called out the party’s leadership for its rhetoric and partisan politics.
Figueira, an opposition parliamentarian who is a prominent figure known for his strong support base in Region 10, recently told the Guyana Chronicle that he believes that “oneness” in Guyana through various attempts at building meaningful equity continua, need to go much deeper, wider, and be more deliberately bipartisan to produce the desired national results.

“I do not accept that the ‘One Guyana’ mantra being espoused by President Ali infringes on our national motto and should therefore be dismissed altogether. If anything, it potentially reinforces our motto, which I welcome,” Figueira said.
He pointed out that this was once a concept coined by the PNCR as a part of its political campaign some years ago.

“I do not subscribe to anti-development machinations and no one or party should. I firmly believe that the political disposition of all opposition parties towards any development that caters to the national construct and the people’s wellbeing should be one of constructive scrutiny that is currently done and the parliamentary and constitutional guard rails put in place must be respected, like the PAC [Public Accounts Committee], Figueira further noted.

The opposition member’s comments came after the PNCR leader, Aubrey Norton, replaced Figueira, a senior member of the party with an interim committee to lead the party’s Region 10 arm.
Earlier this year, Figueira was stripped of his portfolio as Shadow Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport and was replaced by Nima Flue-Bess.

This publication was previously informed that these decisions could have been fuelled by Figueira’s decision to go against Norton’s famous “handshake policy” and shake the hand of President, Dr Irfaan Ali.
While Figueira did not confirm this directly in his responses, he stated: “I will not participate in infantile dictates such as not shaking someone’s hand, more so the hand of the President of my country.”
Back in 2021 President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced the establishment of a “One Guyana Commission”.

The Head of State said the creed of his Government is nation-building with the key word being “oneness.”
“An essential part of my Government is inclusion. Stop being defined by race; stop being defined by politics. Start being defined by our one nationality and by our common love for our one country, let us lift it up together and by doing so, let us lift each other and ourselves, one people, one nation, one destiny,” President Ali had said.

President Ali had said  too that the work of the Commission will be undertaken countrywide to encapsulate the free expressions of all voices, respecting the diversity “from which our oneness springs.”
The initiative addresses education concerning Guyana’s history, religion, ensuring equal opportunity, employment, entrepreneurship, and institutional strengthening of the Ethnic Relations Commission.