President David Granger yesterday afternoon told persons gathered to celebrate the opening of New Amsterdam Town Week that he is a constitutional president and that the government is a constitutional one.
During his featured remarks at a ceremony along the New Amsterdam Main Road, Granger touched on local government elections, telling those gathered that one year after winning office his government held local government elections, which the previous administration had failed to do for some twenty years. He then stressed, that his government would continue to hold local government elections whenever they are constitutionally due, “and we going to have it again whenever the constitution says we must have it because we are a constitutional government and I am a constitutional president.”
The President’s remarks about his status follows declarations both here and abroad that the government is unconstitutional as general and regional elections, due as a result of the passage of a no-confidence motion against his government, have not been held within the period set out by the constitution. This has been the stand taken by the opposition PPP, the Bar Council of the Guyana Bar Association, the European Union (EU), the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK) and the Commonwealth. The EU, US and UK have further said that developmental aid would be affected as a result.
General elections are now set for March 2nd next year.
Granger also urged citizens to hold their local leaders accountable, while saying they will be removed if they do not perform well. “That is what democracy is about,” he said.
Yesterday, New Amsterdam Town Week was opened under the theme “Diversification is the focus, Inclusion is the goal, Celebration through transformation in 2019.”
New Amsterdam Plan of Action
President Granger, who the Caribbean Court of Justice says is heading a caretaker administration, also spoke of the New Amsterdam Action Plan as he repeatedly stressed the potential New Amsterdam has to become the engine of growth in the east. “I have a plan for New Amsterdam, I have a plan to make New Amsterdam the engine of growth in the east. The eastern region of Guyana is about to see the transformation led by New Amsterdam,” he said.
He said that the plan is to launch competitive industries, make New Amsterdam a safe place with persons traversing without the fear of being mugged, extend social protection and provide quality public services. “New Amsterdam is going to be a model for other regional capital towns,” he said.
He further said that New Amsterdam must be a place where citizens from neighbouring countries and the region would want to come to shop and conduct businesses. The President did not say why such a plan is not already in effect. New Amsterdam has been a longstanding stronghold of the PNCR, the main party in governing coalition partner, APNU.
Granger also spoke of the potential and need for agro-processing factories and solar power and stressed the need to strengthen and modernise the town to lead Region Six.
“New Amsterdam gon’ be a place of modern infrastructure, bridges, canals, roads, streetlights,” public parks, recreational facilities, clean environment with modern sanitation services and garbage disposal.
According to the president, he sees New Amsterdam as the education capital for the region since more than 33% of the region’s secondary school students attend schools in New Amsterdam.
Celebrating its 128th anniversary this year, New Amsterdam is Guyana’s oldest town, President Granger said, “since it was established as a town before it became a municipality.”
According to him, New Amsterdam has been in existence for 235 years now, “So I don’t know if the person who did the calculation used to work at GECOM because once upon a time it had somebody at GECOM who can’t count. I know from March 2nd they learn to count,” he joked.
He then moved on to say that over the last four years New Amsterdam has been transformed, “You know what happen four years ago in 2015 and you know what is going to happen in the next five years,” he told those gathered.
According to the president, before 2015 New Amsterdam was a victim of administrative and financial anaemia. He said that was what the previous administration was trying to inflict on residents of the town but they refused to be “anaemic.”
Yesterday’s gathering was also attended by persons from regions three, four and five.
East Bank Berbice
The President also said that residents on the East Bank of Berbice know what changes have taken place there since his government came into office. “Remember when y’all stop (former President Donald) Ramotar going to Highbury…, I fix the road and I will go to Highbury now,” he said.
He stated that infrastructural improvements have been taking place across Region Six, persons are being encouraged to start up their own businesses and the “Government Small Business Bureau will provide and has already provided capital for small entrepreneurs, even big entrepreneurs will get capital. The government through the Citizen Security Strengthening Programme is supporting persons to become self-employed.”
He also pointed out that there have been major upgrades of several recreational grounds in New Amsterdam.
Legitimate trade
Meanwhile, the president also spoke of legitimate trade, noting that if Region Six develops legitimate trade it can then develop its agro industries and financial services and this can become the economic engine in the east of Guyana.
President Granger noted that Region Six is rich in resources with commodities produced in abundance, which can allow the region to lead the way in agro industries and manufacturing. “Don’t worry about selling two bags of plantain chips by the bridge, this region could establish factories to produce agriculture processed foods for the entire Caribbean,” he declared.
Yesterday’s ceremony saw the main access road being barricaded with every street – both on the main road and waterside in the area – blocked off to vehicular traffic. Many hire car drivers yesterday were heard complaining of the disruption to their daily routines as they plied their trade.
The president has been the target of a series of protests by the opposition PPP and this has seen heightened security during his public appearances.
