(GuyanaChronicle)WITH more than 80 per cent of their manifesto promises already fulfilled, President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, reminded Mabaruma residents last Friday that the PPP/C will continue its efforts to enhance the lives of all Guyanese.
The president, who was at the time speaking at a public meeting, also reminded the massive crowd that it was the governing PPP/C that liberated Guyanese from the burdens invoked by the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).
“My dear friends, since we came back to the office, we have put more money back into the pockets of people. We have created more jobs. We have built new industries. We have protected our Indigenous peoples’ rights. We are enhancing the welfare of women and children, the elderly and the vulnerable,” he said.
After receiving a thunderous applause for the efforts that the PPP/C has made despite their brief time in office, President Ali mentioned several significant achievements. These include the restoration of the one-month tax-free bonus to the Joint Services, cash grants to children and the widespread employment and scholarship opportunities for citizens including those in the indigenous communities such as Mabaruma.
Additionally, he used the opportunity to urge people to reject the false promises that are being made by the Opposition and to use the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs) as a vehicle to “bury this horrible legacy of the PNC, APNU+AFC.”
OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
While revealing the plans that the government have in store, he said: “We are working on an agenda today in which every single teacher regardless of which region you are from, you will have the opportunity to study online and become a trained teacher.
“Let me make it very clear, we have offered every young person with the qualifications to do nursing. Once you want to learn to do nursing, get registered and the government will pay all the education expenses for you to become a nurse.”
The president also stated that the government is developing a framework so that people who lack the qualifications to become nurses might instead serve as community health workers and get the chance to become nurses after gaining some experience.
He pointed out that since taking office, public servants’ salaries have increased by more than 25 per cent, the VAT on electricity and water has been removed, farmers have received more than $1 billion in fertiliser subsidies, more than $7.5 billion in COVID-19 relief cash grants were distributed and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) have received higher subventions.
The Head of State added: “We have done all of this whilst we have increased our support to the vulnerable. We have placed more than $6.3 billion of disposable income on our pensioners. We have increased public assistance from $9,000 to $14,000 per month, placing another $950 million of disposable income on the vulnerable. We are providing a $600,000 cash grant to every dialysis patient, every person that requires dialysis [and] this is costing us this year alone, more than $200 million. But we’re doing this because you, the people, need it. Because we want you to have access to the best possible health care and health services.”
Exposing how the APNU+AFC/PNC held Georgetown hostage for almost three decades and stymied development, President Ali said that central government was forced to undertake all of the city’s infrastructure projects.
Turning his attention to Region One, he said that it is clear that residents have witnessed under this administration, substantial growth and development, particularly as it relates to the much-needed hinterland roads, improved health care services, agriculture support, the new hospital that is earmarked for Moruca, or the solar programme that is about to launch.
“And more recently 15 per cent of all the earnings from the LCDS [Low-Carbon Development Strategy] went directly to our Amerindian brothers and sisters. This year alone, we have transferred directly to Amerindian hinterland and riverain communities, $4.6 billion.”