Dear Editor,
My understanding of a debate is that arguments are presented by both sides and then time is given for rebuttals where the members of both teams sit and listen to arguments from all members. There is nothing different in the National Assembly, except that the Leader of the Opposition, former President Bharrat Jagdeo, just barged out of the Assembly after he finished his one hour and forty minutes presentation, and his team followed him out.
It was with a feeling of disgust and some regret that I watched a man of international fame and respect behave in that manner, knowing that the world was watching. Disgust, because his actions were a betrayal of the confidence and trust that 49% of Guyanese put in him. How can he look after their interest if he is not in Parliament? And it is the very people whom he claimed to be representing, who put him there. The Leader of the Opposition apparently anticipated that the Prime Minister, Mr Moses Nagamootoo, would have offered stern rebuttals to his arguments and he may have been embarrassed or knew that his attempt to sound convincing may have been exposed by the Minister of Finance, Mr Winston Jordan. The rebuttals of both the PM and Minister Jordan were presented and I am sure that he now knows that what he said was not at all convincing.
Mr Jagdeo even let off a blast at my presentation where I referred to the reduction in VAT. I said that while VAT still remains at 16% the fact that more items, (many that the ordinary man uses) were added to the basket of non-vattable items would effectively offer the consumer a reduction in the VAT that they pay. Mr Jagdeo even remarked that my economics were “fancy”. I wish to ask any economist whether or not consumers would pay less VAT at the cashier by buying some of these non-VAT items. Mr Jagdeo does not see this and spoke emphatically on the issue, in an effort to convince the public that there is no reduction in VAT and so a failure to keep an election promise by the APNU+AFC government.
There was some exciting outburst from some members of the opposition that the 2015 Budget which was presented to the National Assembly was a carbon copy of the 2014 budget presented by the then PPP/C government. Assuming that this is so, I wish to suggest that they therefore have no reason to condemn this 2015 budget because it is theirs in a sense. Now, even if some parts of the 2015 Budget were taken from the 2014 PPP Budget, it must be that those parts have been seen as good for the people and so they are back for the purpose of being implemented. What is wrong there?
I wish to conclude by asking the members of the opposition not to oppose because they are the opposition, but to find justifiable reasons to oppose and suggest alternatives. If it is something that seems to be good we can all put our shoulders to the wheel and make it work. After all, both opposition and government members ought to have the same goal—make the people of Guyana happy and the country prosperous. It can be done, so let’s do it.
Several members of the government said that if a programme was in place under the former PPP/C administration and it was working, there should be nothing wrong with continuing it. I say that would be a step in the right direction. I was told by a good friend that –‘every step in the right direction is a goal achieved’. Let us all take a step in the right direction for Guyana. Let Guyana’s goal be our dream and her achievements be a reflection of our togetherness.
Yours faithfully,
Charrandass Persaud,
MP