–President Ali says, grills AFC leader, other opposition members over sudden care for youths
–highlights former coalition administration slashed community enhancement expenditure by 60 per cent

THE track record of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader, Nigel Hughes and the opposition, overall, shows a pattern of consistently failing to act on the needs of the people, President, Dr Irfaan Ali has highlighted.
During a live broadcast, the President spoke extensively on the spurious claims that the opposition and those aligned to it have been peddling within the public domain.
Just one day after Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo provided evidence that Hughes had obtained 75 acres of land after the APNU+AFC government was toppled by the passage of the 2018 no-confidence motion, and during the five-month impasse after voters had cast their ballots on polling day, the AFC Leader posted some pictures of Leopold Street.

He claimed that the residents of the area, which is close to his long-standing law firm, have been neglected.
However, the President blazed him for his sudden care for those people despite the AFC and APNU failing to pay attention to these areas while they were in office for a total of 33 years.
While the opposition continues to paint the picture that they care for the youths, President Ali revealed that expenditure on community enhancement was cut by 60 per cent under the APNU+AFC.
Dr. Ali stated: “The very people who are jumping up in a frenzy (saying) “we love young people, we love Linden, we love Berbice, we love New Amsterdam, we love sports, we love our athletes.” What is the fact? They cut expenditure on community enhancement.”
This dropped the figure to just around $100 million, the President said.

While the opposition constantly relies on the excuse of not having oil revenues to justify its shortcomings, the President said that under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in 2011-2014, when there was no oil funds, the average expenditure on community enhancement was $300 million.
“It’s a philosophy. [It] has nothing to do with oil and gas. This is the reality and the facts that they want to run away from,” he said.

Judging by their to accept its sordid track record, the Head of State said the opposition parties have returned to their usual ways of spreading racism and hate.
It is important to understand that the closure of several sugar estates across the country by the APNU+AFC, not only left thousands of persons without jobs or sources of income but also brought about the closure of recreational facilities in vulnerable communities.
President Ali said: “As you know, GuySuCo would have been maintaining grounds and sports facilities all across the country. So, when they closed GuySuCo, all of those grounds that were maintained, completely lost.”
However, since 2020, under the PPP, investments have been made in more than 564 community grounds, with 246 being located in the hinterland.
Dr. Ali said: “This is our track record that we are proud of and the investment is bearing fruits.”

Also, more than 100 grounds will benefit from the installation of lights, and the necessary infrastructure to host night games and other activities, he said.
Additionally, more than $2 billion has been set aside for the rehabilitation of grounds and this is aside from the five internationally accredited sports stadiums that are being built across the country.
“All of these things we have delivered beyond the manifesto,” the President said.