Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton and his team on Tuesday met with representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC.
A release yesterday from the Office of the Leader of the Opposition stated that Norton, accompanied by economic advisor, Elson Low, met with the IMF team which was headed by economist and Guyana Mission Head, Alina Carare, and included IMF staff members, Reshma Mahabir, and Diego Calderon. MP David Patterson was also due to attend the meeting but was unable to do so as he was “unlawfully” blocked by Guyanese immigration officials from leaving the country.
At the meeting, the release said that the Oppo-sition Leader outlined what he referred to as his party’s “people-centred national development vision.” He emphasised to the IMF team, four main points. 1) That human capital development is just as important as infrastructure development and the next Coali-tion government will ensure Guyanese benefit from world-class social programmes and education and training opportunities, 2) that his party sees the need for a comprehensive and structured social safety net based on international best practice aimed at eliminating poverty and economic insecurity, and at ensuring a good quality of life for all citizens, 3) that good governance is vital for economic development, and when in office his government will work closely with the IMF to improve the quality of governance in Guyana, in stark contrast to the current government’s insistence on secrecy and lack of accountability, and 4) that the oil and gas sector must be governed with these principles of transparency and accountability to ensure Guyanese receive what they are rightfully due, and this obligation is currently in question given the serious concerns about accountability raised in Guyana’s first cost-oil audit.
Norton also alleged reluctance on government’s part to publish surveys such as the Guyana Labour Force Survey and National Census, which he posited, prevent an accurate assessment of the economic conditions in Guyana. They also discussed the persistent high cost of living while the IMF team expressed “deep interest” and sought clarifications on a few issues.
According to the release, the Opposition iterated its commitment to swift poverty eradication based on a guaranteed livable income for households, as well as a nationwide economic diversification strategy. Norton handed over a brief to the IMF that provided more details on his party’s analysis and solutions.
The meeting was described as productive while providing the opportunity for the Opposition to present a different vision for Guyana’s development, “in sharp contrast to the PPP’s unplanned, wasteful, discriminatory and corrupt efforts,” the release added.
