President Donald Ramotar this afternoon warned that his administration will not be held to ransom by any “intractable posture” by members of the opposition as he seeks to govern the country.
The President in his inaugural speech to the National Assembly described the new dispensation in the House with the opposition holding the majority of seats as “very challenging”. According to him, while this situation is not new around the world it has brought mixed results in various countries. Ramotar noted that while there have been success stories in some countries in others it has been a downright failure. He questioned whether Guyana would be a failure, or a successful model for other countries adding that this will depend on the maturity of the political parties.
“To move forward will require maturity and avoid gridlock,” he said.
He said while his government is committed to compromise and consensus it “loathed gridlock” that will stymie the country’s growth.
He told the packed House and with loud thumping from the government side that all political parties must exhibit maturity for the advancement of Guyana. He said while there will be differences the important thing is how these differences will be dealt with.
Ramotar said his government is committed to regular cooperation with the opposition. He said it was “disappointing” that the parties did not reach a consensus on the selection of the Speaker of the House. He thanked former speaker Ralph Ramkarran for his work to loud thumping from the government side.
Ramotar was welcomed to Parliament Buildings with full military honours and with observers and protesters watching on, on the sidelines.
Full text of President Donald Ramotar’s speech as released by the Government Information Agency this afternoon:
Salutations
I was honored to have been a member of parliament for almost twenty years.
Serving as a parliamentarian has been one of the greatest privileges of
my life. Within this chamber policies were rigorously scrutinized, ideas
robustly discussed, and laws tabled and debated. I will certainly miss the
cut and thrusts of the debates in this august body. The exposure I gained
here deepened my political experience and fortified my faith in the
inestimable value of Parliamentary democracy and the importance of this
institution in our national life.
In the years that I have worked here, I built enduring friendships not only
among my own colleagues but also across the aisle. I value those
relationships. Today I see that many of those who sat with me in the
Assembly have returned to this 10th Parliament. I am happy to welcome you
back.
There are of course some who have not returned for one reason or the other.
I thank them for their service to the 9th Parliament and to our country.
I would especially like to pay tribute to the outgoing Speaker, Mr. Ralph
Ramkarran, for his outstanding, dedicated and fair-minded service to the
National Assembly. He exemplified the dignity and professionalism of the
esteemed office of Speaker of the House. Under his tenure the Parliament
was greatly enhanced in many important areas.
To you Mr. Speaker, I extend my sincere congratulations on your elections to
this office, one of the highest in our land. In our conversation since your
elevation to this office, I share your desire to ensure the smooth
operations of this the 10th parliament of Guyana.
I also extend sincere congratulations to the new Deputy Speaker the
Honourable Deborah Backer, I wish you well in this new office.
To the new members of the House, I express my congratulations and bring you
greetings. It is your responsibility to give expression to the aspirations
of our people. I encourage you to work dedicatedly to represent all our
people. I wish to suggest that you study the rules and parliamentary
procedures so that your stint here can also be recorded as one which would
enhance this institution as the most representative in our land. The
decisions you make here will affect the lives of all Guyanese. I wish you
well in your work on behalf of our people.
Mr. Speaker,
This 10th Parliament is beginning its work in a very challenging period in
our country’s history. For the first time we are faced with a situation in
which no party has an absolute majority. It is a new situation to us, but
one that has been experienced in some other countries of the world.
The results of the work of such parliaments have been very mixed. In some
cases they were successful. In others they have not been so fruitful, and
in some downright failures. Therefore, we do not have a unified model that
we can follow.
The question is: How will our parliament perform? Will ours add to the list
of failures or will it be able to serve as an example of a successful
parliament? Will other countries, finding themselves in a similar
situation in the future turn to us to see how well we did, and seek to learn
from our experience? The answers to these questions lie ahead of us. They
are also within us and a lot will depend on what attitude we take at this
time. Yes we have our differences. This is perfectly natural, we would
continue to have varying views on many issues, the important thing is how we
move forward in resolving our positions.
To move forward will call for maturity. If we are to avoid gridlock and
inertia, political cooperation in the interest of the development of Guyana
must exist. This is the reality that we face, we must avoid gridlock. At
this time given the significant development under the PPP/C, my
administration would be loath to accept gridlock that can stymie Guyana’s
development.
I am convinced that we have the capacity to rise to this challenge. I am
satisfied that we are capable of demonstrating to the Guyanese nation that
while political competition and diversity are essential in a democracy, they
should not foreclose on the possibilities for compromise and consensus in
the way we do business.
Indeed, the make-up of this new parliament dictates that we seek consensus
and compromise and should resist the temptation to believe that any party
can ride rough shod over another. Any such attempt may see us missing the
historical opportunities that this new composition offers. I urge that we
put the interest of our people first. I urge that we work assiduously to
find common ground within and outside of this hallowed chamber.
Within my administration there exists the political will to do so. My
government has already committed to regular engagements with the
parliamentary parties. Through these engagements I hope that we can continue
to nurture political trust and create an enabling climate for consensus-
building. It was disappointing that we did not find consensus in the
election of the Speaker of the Assembly. However, I am still optimistic
that seeking agreements by dialogue is still the best way forward. I also
believe that working in this Parliament can contribute in building trust
that is so important for our political culture.
As willing however as my government is to exercise patience, forbearance,
and reasonableness in the interest of all of our people, my administration
will not be held ransom to intractable postures.
I therefore hope that we can work together so that history will record that
we succeeded at this time when we were put to the test.
International Situation:
Mr. Speaker the need to forge united and strong national positions is
important for another reason. We are living in an international environment
that is very complicated and also very difficult. As you are all aware
international socio-economic and political development impact heavily on us.
Many of the problems we often have to confront are not made by us, but often
originate in different parts of the world, sometimes in countries very far
from our own shores. This is one of those times when we have to keep
focused on international events due to the potential impact on our country.
As you are aware the traditional drivers of the world’s economy have all
been experiencing grave economic and political problem.
The United States, the European Union and Japan are all going through a very
difficult phase. Many experienced commentators have said it is the worst
since the great depression of 1929-1933.
The fact is that the weight of those countries in world affairs is so great
that the effects cannot be contained within their borders. The
interconnections of the world economy have ensured that all are affected to
one degree or the other. The crisis has exacerbated the problems caused one
year ago by the huge cut in price for sugar that we sold in Europe.
Our region too is going through tough times because of the fall in tourist
arrivals in the Caribbean, and the ever rising price for energy.
Mr. Speaker these effects are also closely connected to the financial and
political situation internationally.
You may be aware that in the early and mid 1990s the price of oil was some
US$7 per barrel. Today it has gone above US$100 per barrel. Much of this is
due to the very unstable situation in the Middle East, which produces most
of the world’s fossil fuel.
The political problems in that area have their geneses within the region and
also the interests of other powers in the world. Fortunately Mr. Speaker,
over the last few decades we have seen other countries emerging as
influential players on the world stage.
Brazil, Russia, India and China have made great contributions to keep the
world economy on the move and they have prevented it from going in total
recession. This is good news since the world’s economy is now resting on
broader and more shoulders.
In these new and changing circumstances our foreign policy becomes very
important. This policy must be conducted to fundamentally protect us from
the negative impact of the global crises and to give us an opportunity to
grow.
We must continue to build and consolidate our relations with our traditional
partners while, at the same time broadening those relations with others,
particularly those emerging economies with whom we have had long-standing,
friendly and fruitful ties. Expanding our relations will open new markets
for our products and services and make us less susceptible to the economic
shocks that originate from outside our own borders.
At the regional level we have to continue to work for greater integration of
our economies. I know I am only repeating what was said so often in the
past, when I declare that integration of the region has far greater benefits
than going separately.
I am convinced that we in Guyana have a central role to play in a much
broader integration which I envisage is possible. We can become a bridge
between the Caribbean and South America.
After all I am sure that our CARICOM partners must have observed the great
possibilities that can be had in the south. It would certainly be in
CARICOM’s interest to broaden its own relations.
Mr. Speaker, even though we are a small country we have made a huge impact
on the international arena. Through our work, Guyana is recognized as one
of the champions in the struggle to protect the world’s environment and to
stop what could be catastrophic climate change.
We have crafted a strategy that limits the production of dangerous
greenhouse gases while at the same time taking advantage of the
opportunities to offer to the world environmental services.
The role we have played is shown in the several international recognitions
given to my predecessor Comrade Bharrat Jagdeo.
The Economy:
Mr. Speaker, it is in this international context that we have to manage our
economy. It calls for prudence and good management.
Without doubt, our economy and country have come a far way from the time
that our country was forced to enter into an IMF agreement in 1989. At that
time our country was a “Heavily Indebted Poor Country.” Almost nothing
worked.
We have grown the economy from a US$317 million economy in 1991 to a
US$2.261 billion economy in 2010. Our per capita income has moved from a
US$304 to US$2,533 in 2010.
All the economic indicators tell of the great progress we have made.
Commercial Bank assets have risen from $25 billion in 1992 to $296 billion
in 2010. In the same period loans to the private sector increased from $7
billion to $112 billion while interest rates tumbled from a height of 35% to
now within a range of between 5% to 11%.
We also succeeded in slashing the external debt of our country from US$2.1
billion to just about $1 billion today. We have grown our external reserve
from US$123 M. to the highest it has ever been, US$780 M.
Importantly too Mr. Speaker, we have slowed inflation sharply to single
digits for more than a decade.
Economically Guyana is now poised for a rapid take off.
For this to be realized though we have to tackle the issues that exist and
can slow us down.
In my view the acquisition of cheap and clean power is very important. This
is the new infrastructure that would see us developing rapidly. Cheaper,
cleaner and more reliable energy sources will encourage a stronger and more
modern economy that will allow for greater manufacturing and agro-processing
and value-added to our minerals. In the process we will create many
well-paying jobs. It will also slash our fuel import bill and thereby
release significant resources to enhance the efficiency of the productive
sectors.
Mr. Speaker,
We have to maintain and improve the traditional sectors, sugar, rice and
bauxite. Agriculture, in my view has a very important role in the future
development of Guyana.
The UN has declared that the world’s population is growing rapidly. Already
the world has more than seven billion mouths to feed. We are told that
before the end of the first half of this century we will have another
billion people on earth.
Clearly with the pressure on lands, food prices will rise. This is already
happening. We are very well placed to take advantage of this because we
have land and abundant fresh water, both of which are indispensable to the
expansion and diversification of agriculture.
Mining too will be extremely important to our rapid economic development.
The two bauxite companies operating here now are expected to increase
production beginning from this year. This will create new jobs for our
workers in the Bauxite belt and in transportation as well. Another Bauxite
mine is expected to be constructed shortly.
We are also witnessing increased investments in gold mining which is
employing growing numbers of workers.
But while we reform and modernize these sectors we will also be diversifying
into new high income and high yielding growth poles.
There is high optimism that we are on the verge of discovering petroleum.
We have been listed by some experts as having the potential of becoming a
major player in this sector in the world.
We have to prepare for this eventually and carefully plan to prevent
possibly serious negative effects on the traditional sectors. We must learn
from the experiences of other countries which have passed through that stage
already.
Mr. Speaker,
If our goods and services are going to be globally competitive we must
reduce transport costs and improve market access for our exports. This is
why a deep water harbor, a road and bridge link to Brazil and Suriname
respectively, are all very important projects. These projects will allow us
to become a major hub for the movement of goods between South America and
the North while reducing transport costs and proving easier and freer access
to larger markets for our producers. In the process increased services and
more employment would be created.
We must support those sectors, industries and firms with potential to
produce globally competitive goods and services. In this regard we must not
rule out any forms of organization of production of goods and services. We
will embrace large and small companies, public and privately owned firms.
All have advantages. Small businesses are known to sustain growth and many
of our large firms possess the managerial expertise, skilled workforce and
access to resources with which to venture deeper into regional and global
markets.
Mr. Speaker,
We must equally embrace new technologies that are driving growth,
inventiveness and innovation, integrating us with that larger economic space
that is spawned by globalization and allowing us to develop new services,
and do things better, faster and cheaper, while creating thousands of much-
needed jobs for our people.
Sustaining the growth of our economy requires that we continue to court
investments both local and foreign and catalyzing entrepreneurship and new
innovative endeavours. Only through such measures can we create a modern,
competitive economy that produces world class goods and services.
Integral to the success of this thrust towards the creation of a new economy
is the availability of a highly educated and skilled workforce, especially
in science and technology. Without this our development will be stymied. As
such we have to ensure that our educational system is geared towards
producing graduates with employable skills in and in sufficient numbers.
Our educational system is the nursery for the development of these skills.
And there is much to be proud of in our educational system. Guyanese have
distinguished themselves academically all over the world. This speaks
volumes to the foundational education they received here. Our teachers are
also widely respected and this too says that we have quality minds guiding
our children within the classrooms just as we have top- class nurses,
military personnel, police officers and other professionals.
But we have strong pull factors, and admittedly there are push factors that
results too in the migration of the very skills that we so critically need.
I believe that we have to be resourceful and find ways to retain our skilled
personnel. We must develop a strong Diaspora policy to minimize the effect
of migrating skills. We have to continue to improve the skills of our
workers to keep up with the changing times and technologies.
My entire political career was shaped within a political party that has
always been grounded within the working class and I would do all that is
possible to enhance the skills and capacity of working people sp that they
will be able to enhance their earning power. I intend to ensure that
workers in Guyana are not left on the sidelines of development.
Mr. Speaker,
I am one of those persons who strongly believe that the most important
factor for development is people. Clearly therefore to reach the goals that
we have set ourselves we must have the human capital capable to advance our
country. It is for this reason that we have been spending heavily on the
social sector, mainly education, health, housing and water. It is these
areas that we make the most impact in building our people’s capacity. We
have taken investments in the social sector from 8% of our budget in 1991 to
some 30% of a much bigger and larger allocation in 2010.
In education spending has grown sharply. We see our expenditure here really
as an investment in our future. And we are already having better results.
More of our students are topping the Caribbean at the CXC examinations.
Moreover by expanding educational facilities in the hinterland, we have
moved much closer to our objective of equal opportunity for all.
Our “One Laptop per Family” is also intended to ensure that all our people
must have access to this very important tool, regardless of their
socio-economic circumstances.
Information Communication Technology is playing a central role in
development. It is creating new opportunities for people globally. Our
people must not be left behind.
I am convinced that developing our capacity in this sector will definitely
put us in an advantageous position to tackle the challenges of the future.
In addition it will certainly help to improve efficiency in Government and
in all sectors of the society.
It will open the possibility to deliver more services, including educational
services to people in every part of Guyana, including in the most remote
areas.
A successful implementation of our programme in this sector will see us as
being one of the more computer literate nations in the world.
Mr. Speaker we can see also the great changes that have occurred in the
provision and delivery of health services in Guyana. We have invested
heavily in this area and have constructed new or completely renovated
hospitals in every region. Health services can now be found in some of the
most remote regions of Guyana. Today we are doing complicated heart
surgeries; we are also performing kidney transplants and providing dialysis
treatment to patients who need them. We have improved services to cancer
patients as well as to burn victims.
Our people deserve better and we are determined to see that they enjoy
steady and continuous benefits of a growing economy. We intend to further
expand our services in the health sector.
Already we are investing in a new and modern hospital in Guyana. This will
give us the ability to deliver certain services at a fraction of what it
will cost elsewhere in the region and further afield. We hope to have this
modern facility within the next five years.
Our achievements in housing and the delivery of water are outstanding. Tens
of thousands of our people are experiencing the thrill of owning their own
homes.
Our landscape has changed by the many new communities that have developed in
almost every region in Guyana. In the next five years we hope to give
another thirty thousand families the possibilities of owning their own
homes.
Mr. Speaker we are investing heavily in providing potable water throughout
our country. It is a big challenge but one that we are prepared to tackle
head on, and to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, a factor that has grown in importance to the whole
developmental trust is security.
As you are all aware one of the new global challenges is that of fighting
crime, particular those connected to the narco-trade. This is so because of
the huge amount of money that is involved in that illegal business. The
narco trade spawns other crimes due to the amount of illegal weapons it is
capable of putting in our streets.
We have been investing quite a lot of our resources in equipping and
building human capacity by training of our security forces. However, since
this is a global problem we have to promote and develop international
cooperation to deal with this issue. In this regard we are ready to work
with our traditional partners, the US, UK and Canadians to deal with this
issue. We are ready to promote closer relations with our security forces
and their counterparts in the Caribbean.
We will also seek to deepen these relations with our neighbours to ensure
that criminals would not have a safe haven anywhere. This is important in
fighting the attacks on our fisher folk which seem to have increased in
recent times.
We are determined that our people must enjoy a higher quality of life which
must include improving national security.
Mr. Speaker,
We will continue to press ahead in working along with our indigenous peoples
to ensure their continued advancement. Considerable progress has been made
in this regard. My administration will continue to engage with our
indigenous people to secure their future and give them a greater say in
national development.
Mr. Speaker,
We will intensify work for the empowerment of our women and youth. They
must be accorded a greater say in national development. Their problems must
become our concerns and must be addressed in a systematic way. We intend
also to work with our women and youth activists to ensure the success of
programs aimed at their empowerment.
Mr. Speaker,
We will exert more efforts for the betterment of the vulnerable within our
society: the differently abled, the abused, the elderly and the poor. We
have to create a more caring country where we are all the keepers of our
brothers and sisters, where those who are faced with difficult circumstances
can find succor and support, and most importantly dignity.
Mr. Speaker,
All of these things we are committed to in an environment characterized by
respect for the rule of law, adherence to internationally acceptable human
and social rights, including respect for the independence of the media, and
respect and confidence in the functioning of public institutions,
including the National Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, our country has travelled a long road since its independence in
1966. It was not an easy path by any means. Sometimes we seemed to be on a
highway and at other times we navigated narrow and twisting path.
Today we are on another open path. I believe that we are at the threshold
of a rapid development that can take us to great heights.
I urge that we must not miss this opportunity and allow our country to
traverse the narrow and difficult roads again.
This 10th parliament can go down in history as being the one that can see us
firmly on the highways to Peace Progress and Prosperity.
Mr. Speaker
I thank you.