On the anniversary of the PPP/C’s second year in office, the opposition APNU+AFC yesterday teamed up with the Working People’s Alliance at a rally to put government on warning that they are in campaign mode, right up to the 2025 General Elections and will tirelessly call out injustices and divisiveness.
With an estimated 2,000 persons in attendance, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton blazed government for what his party sees as “grave injustices” such as the rising cost of living, corruption, and suspension of eight opposition MPS, among other issues.
“It is both political and ethnic discrimination, and we say it must end,” Norton told supporters at the rally which began around 5:45pm at Burnham Court, Georgetown.
“A lot of this protesting is against PPP racism and discrimination. The PPP is involved in political discrimination. If you are Afro-Guyanese or Amerindian, you feel the brunt of them. We need to understand that if Guyana is to grow the PPP must go,” he declared.
The ‘if Guyana is to grow the PPP must go’ comment became the slogan of the night.
As he expounded on the allegations of injustices, Norton announced, that the Opposition will not be attending next Monday’s Parliament sitting where $44 billion is being sought in in supplemental financing. “They are so cruel that they know so well that life is hard, got worse under the PPP. They are bringing a (paper) for $44 billion and not one cent in it to improve the lives of people by cushioning the cost of living,” he stressed.
‘Suspend’
Suspended members of the Opposition, he also argued, did not have their defence heard by the Committee of Privileges.
“They have suspended eight of our members of parliament. They have a session on Monday, well they will talk to themselves. They refuse to give our members a hearing. Everybody who knows basic law knows that if you charge people for whatever they have the right to a hearing. They had the right to counsel… they just did what they did and said ‘they are suspended’. Well we will suspend them too. And tell them it isn’t going to be easy.”
APNU+AFC parliamentarians Christopher Jones, Ganesh Mahipaul, Sherod Duncan, Natasha Singh-Lewis, Annette Ferguson, Vinceroy Jordan, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley and Maureen Philadelphia, last week received their letters of suspension from the National Assembly informing them that they would not be receiving their salaries and other benefits during that period. Those salaries and benefits rangefrom $214,226 dollars per month to $226,618 and do not include allowances and other benefits.
‘People centred’
Pointing to the Covid cash grants that government last year distributed, the Opposition Leader said Region Four and Region Ten especially, along with other strongholds of the opposition, saw residents faced with exhaustive checks and some are still to receive the $25,000 per household promised.
“We have to develop a new approach. As the Leader of the Opposition, I believe that Guyana needs a people- centred development. We intend to develop policies that will put the people first,” he said.
“We need structured policies so that our youth can develop; people-centred development that put resources into small and micro businesses so that more of our people can become business people. We don’t want handouts. We want genuine programmes that will empower the people,” he added.
And while he stated that Guyana’s citizenry do not want a life of “handouts” but instead empowerment of the grassroots and vulnerable groups to be able to financially sustain themselves, he urged supporters that if money or other resources were being offered to “take it because it is not their money it is yours”.
‘No shake’
In addition, he said that as Opposition Leader he will not shake President Irfaan Ali’s hand until the PPP/C government addresses the issues of the oppressed and there is tangible evidence that “a collective effort” is being made to resolve them.
“I shake hands but I do not shake hands with my oppressors. I can shake hands if you treat me, my people; all Guyanese as equal… but for now we must put the handshake… where paddy put the nuts,” the Opposition Leader contended.
Norton, whose coalition has been pilloried over the attempt to rig the March 2 2020 general elections, said that some persons have expressed that his refusal to shake the President’s hand is childish and puerile and that a leader must put “protocol and decorum” into view when handshakes are offered.
But he said that his conscience will not allow him to do it and he was sure that his critics would understand why “if they go into the villages they will understand what the regime is doing in Guyana.”
“You shake hands when somebody is nice to you, when it cordial and there is friendship. You do not shake the hand of those who seek to oppress you, and I say that without fear of contradiction,” he stressed.
At an Emancipation Day event in New Amsterdam on Monday, Norton refused to shake the President’s hand when it was extended to him.
Norton said that ethics and principles would not allow him to shake hands with someone whose government took away funding from a young music group that performed at the event and who clearly shows bias against persons associated with the opposition.
“There was a band that was playing music. And when the Koffana Band was playing, he was smiling and enjoying himself…When I went to speak, I said to them, this was a young band under the APNU. We were giving them funding so they can study music etcetera. We had that one there and another – The Linden Music Corps. The first thing his government did was remove the funding from them,” he related.
“And you tell me I must shake your hands? … Your hands have on them discrimination against us…For what reason must I touch your hand? I will not. I am clear in my mind, I will not!” he adamantly declared.
Equitable lands
On issues of access to land for locals, Norton posited that those who are from perceived APNU+AFC strongholds are marginalised.
Using examples, he said that in Mocha on the East Bank of Demerara, government is currently actively seeking to remove the people, under the guise that where they are will fall under areas for urban development. “Mocha must come out and stand with our people because they lived there and…we shall not be moved.”
“All they want to do is take away the lands from people. At Kuru Kuru, they are seeking to take those lands and give… We say, No! At Fyrish Village in Berbice, they are doing the same thing. Linden and the Rockstone Road, they are doing the same… We have a right like every other Guyanese, to land in this country,” he added.
The PPP/C, he said, was also using its influence to have current Acting Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken promoted contrary to provisions of this country’s constitution. He told the crowd that the issue of government selecting an acting Commissioner was not one where he had to have consultations as the law states what should be.
However, he reiterated that he would not be meeting President Ali on constitutional appointments until the court defines what “meaningful consultations” are.
As part of the coalition’s clean list campaign, Norton reiterated that GECOM Chairperson Claudette Singh must step down. “We have to make it clear that Claudette Singh must go. We cannot at all live with a Claudette Singh.”
