Promising “a good life for all Guyanese,” opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) says that if elected it would create a unity government to build a people-centred economy, where the needs of all communities are met and the people are safe.
“The tide of ideas in Guyanese politics has turned,” says APNU presidential candidate David Granger in a message in the ‘Good Life’ themed manifesto, which was launched on Friday evening in New Amsterdam. The manifesto would give the assurance that a good life is attainable, he says and the document details plans to transform the economy through smart diversification and technology, with public safety through police reform and better governance through constituency-based representation to ensure citizen participate at all levels.
“A good life depends, at a personal level, on a sound education, satisfactory employment, economic opportunity, individual equality, political empowerment and social protection for the vulnerable and, at a national level, on good governance, a sustainable environment, national unity and public security,” APNU explains in the 32-page document.
In outlining its vision for “purposeful growth and sustainable development,” APNU says that the policies under the PPP/C over the last 19 years have depended on “luck” and “tricky statistics.” Saying that external debt is growing again, while Guyanese are burdened by higher taxes and fewer services, it adds that there is “greater uncertainty” about the economy than the ruling party admits. It warns, “Economies like ours, which rely on few export commodities and hope for continued high prices, are at a serious risk,” and argues that neither the National Development Strategy nor the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) would take the country where it needs to go.
APNU says Guyana needs a sustainable economy for poverty eradication and social and economic development in order for a better future for all and it believes this can be achieved through the informed and smart use of natural resources, including the people.
Up and out
It says it would adopt an “up and out” approach to the economy, concentrating on moving economic activities “up” the development chain and reversing the trade balance by beginning to export more than the country imports. Saying that diversification must be intelligent and not just about producing more, APNU envisions a path mainly through development of agriculture, forestry, mining, tourism, financial services and Information Communication Technology (ICT).
As part of its proposals for agriculture, which address environmental changes, market access and hinterland development, APNU emphasises that creative ways have to found to retain labour and diversify the sugar industry. It says this would be to cultivate crops more suitable to our bed field layout – which it argues is better suited to aquaculture – and in the short term it proposes concentrating more on ethanol production. Rice, meanwhile, warrants an upgrade, it adds, saying it would focus on developing new varieties, refining crop management, promoting simultaneous fish farming and incentivising millers to improve their facilities. It also says that the fishing industry would be revived.
APNU adds that it would promote economic activity by fostering private sector growth in these sectors, with incentives for local and international investment, higher value production, exports, introduction of technology and innovation, job creation, skills training and poverty reduction.
It says that the strategic and efficient approach to the economy it would pursue, would be complemented by transparency in economic management through a “nothing to hide” approach, especially with public expenditure.
According to APNU, economic transformation is possible through strategic planning to revitalise regional and local economies, investment in people, infrastructural development, and the strengthening of the state’s regulatory capacity. As part of its plans, it will reform government expenditure to improve efficiency and reduce bureaucracy, enlarge the size of education and training institutions, reduce taxes and duties under a tax system reform.
With job creation one of its priorities, APNU is seeking to achieve an average rate of economic growth of at least 7% by nurturing private sector growth, initiating new labour intensive value adding ventures with the private sector, introducing tax allowances based on new jobs created and strengthening the labour exchange and employment bureau institutions.
APNU says it will consult on the construction of a deep water harbour in the Demerara/Essequibo area, while noting that the Demerara is still the hub of all import/export activity and would therefore be more economical. It adds that the potential production of Brazilian states Roraima and Amazonas would create many jobs here, if the country could assist in transporting their products, and significant income is likely from road and sea-port tolls.
Further, it says in the medium-term the option of a second bridge across the Demerara River would be explored, to support expansion in the Essequibo Islands, West Demerara, and the housing and agriculture sectors.
It also emphasises road and air transportation infrastructure development, especially in hinterland areas, and notes that the Linden-Lethem highway would be a priority. An APNU government, it says, would facilitate completion of an IDB supported initiative to interconnect South American economies through transportation, energy and telecom links.
Granger has been emphasising education throughout his campaign. The manifesto says APNU would place the highest priority on education, life skill and other developmental needs of children, while being fair to teachers. Education is addressed in the manifesto under APNU’s proposals for human development, which also cover the arts and sports, as well as specific groups like children, youth, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
Digital nation
In ICT, it says it has a comprehensive three-year strategy, dubbed Digital Nation 2015, to move Guyana to becoming a full-fledged digital economy. “APNU’s vision is that all of Guyana is prepared for a world transformed by technology,” it says, saying it would promote a paradigm shift. It says only through an all-pervasive and ultra-high speed broadband network would the country be ready to embrace and fully exploit the boundless opportunities such a future presents and it noted the need for major infrastructural investment.
Hinterland development will be a top priority, APNU also says, while arguing that it remains a “disadvantaged zone.” In government, it says it would support a development strategy geared to benefitting the indigenous and other communities and hinterland people would be empowered with resources for agriculture development, modern housing, road construction, manufacturing and services.
APNU promises to review the forestry sector to increase towards supporting increasing value-added forest production, while in mining it would seek to ensure more employment and a stake in ownership for Guyanese. It also promises to support small and medium scale miners through by improving the lottery system for access to land in reserve, facilitating access to modern equipment and providing technical guidance. It also commits to a critical reassessment of the bauxite industry towards setting up a refinery. It adds that it would also consider proposing an arrangement under which government would develop and operate bauxite mines through a public company and supply bauxite under an agreed pricing formula.
At the same time, the coalition advocates developing an environmental strategy, considering setting up a ministry or department of the environment and natural resources and working to improve environmental health in all communities. While it says it would review the LCDS, it explains that it would implement initiatives to address climate change, conserve biodiversity resources, including specific conservation measures for vital eco-systems, and strengthen the EPA, among other things. It adds that it would also work to develop an integrated energy plan for reliable, stable, affordable and adequate power supply in the short and long term. Ensuring the flow of petroleum from the Guyana-Suriname basin reserve and encouraging the use of alternative energy resources are also among its plans.
Making the country safe
Public security and national defence, according to APNU, are imperative for the development of the country and it says it attaches a high priority to making the country safe. “Public security is the bedrock of a safe human society and the crime situation is both the most pressing and most depressing problem facing ordinary Guyanese today,” it says. “No country can develop if its citizens live in constant fear of criminal attack and its territory is constantly under threat,” it explains, while adding that no entrepreneur will invest funds in an environment rife with crime and corruption.
The PPP, it notes, has been criticised by the US Department of State for its failure to ensure human safety and public security almost every year under the 12-year Bharrat Jagdeo presidency. It criticised the administration for derailing UK-funded security sector reform and ignoring national commission reports on security, blaming it for a rise in serious crimes. APNU adds that with allegations of torture levelled against the security forces and the administration’s refusal to investigate the Lusignan, Bartica and Lindo Creek massacres, the need for security reform is evident.
APNU’s vision for national security is public safety through the reform of the police force, public safety through development of the fire and prison services, and national defence through the strengthening the capability of the army to defend the country’s territorial integrity.
Once in government, it says, it would reform and restructure the police force, making it a service and recruiting competent personnel, improving its investigative capabilities, making it responsive to new threats. It says there would be zero tolerance for racially motivated violence and violence against vulnerable groups, like women, children and the elderly. It also proposes to ensure a credible national drug strategy plan and regulation of immigration to eliminate backtracking.
A needs assessment for the fire service is among APNU’s proposals and it also assures that fire hydrants—many of which are now non-functional—would be supplied with adequate water for fire fighting. It says that additional fire stations would be set up in new housing areas between Ogle and Rosignol and Georgetown and Timehri.
Additionally, it says that as the prison population increases, it would ensure an increase in prison officers, relieve overcrowding and modernise the Georgetown and Mazaruni prisons, install adequate monitoring and warning technology and introduce a regime of activities for prisoners.
For the army, APNU proposes to acquire adequate inshore patrol vessels and adequate aerial surveillance to define the state’s territorial integrity, suppress fishing, drugs, arms and contraband smuggling, and illegal migration. To complement this scheme, it says it would also acquire funds to finance regular, long-range maritime and aerial surveillance patrols. It says it would also provide human resources support to the coast guard, engineer corps and air corps.
Constituencies
In keeping with its pledge to ending ‘winner-take-all’ politics, APNU says it would build inclusive, responsive and accountable governance. Its proposals include introducing a mixed electoral system with constituency representation with a small component of proportional representation—a reverse of the system now in place. Constituency representation, it says, would also be part of local government reform, and introduced at the village, Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), and Regional Democratic Council (RDC) levels. It also advocates creating a mechanism for community-based and non-governmental organisations to participate in the developing and executing policies at local level.
Equality before the law, APNU says, would be the guiding principle underlying a strengthened judicial system, while it would move to stamp out corruption. It says it is committed to good governance practices in all public agencies and institutions and would embrace accountability, and strong oversight and monitoring; respect for human rights; genuine inclusiveness and participation; equality and equity; real access to information; and recourse to remedial bodies, like the office of the Ombudsman.
APNU would support citizen proposals for the strengthening the Office of the Auditor General, and the curtailment of immunities, pension plan, and other iniquities of the executive presidency.
