The budget debate on Monday evening featured robust presentations from the opposition calling for more spending on infrastructure, education and health care, while government presenters re-stated their support for the $100B 2007 Budget.
People’s Progressive Party/Civic Parliamentarian Norman Whittaker, representing Region One (Barima/ Waini) vigorously defended the record of the PPP over its 14 years in office.
Whittaker mentioned that in the Region One there were only a few books in schools with mostly untrained teachers before the PPP/C government, but over the years under the government, primary schools were constructed, refurbished and extended. Indigenous communities were also given assistance, such as outboard engines, to send their children to school.
“We had our priority right,” he said. The educational level of teachers in the region was also upgraded through the Cyril Potter College of Education and regional training centres.
The region now boasts, he said, a stable number of trained teachers and teachers continue to graduate in their numbers from the teachers’ training centres.
In relation to the developments in health, he observed that the government over the 14-year period has upgraded healthcare in the region and in the 21 Amerindian villages and small communities there are health posts and each has a health worker.
This year the government is projected to spend $30.8M on infrastructure works, said Whittaker, including roads and river transport and extending community linkages to farming and gold mining areas. He also referred to the millions the government spent to give residents electricity for five to eight hours per day.
Whittaker explained to the National Assembly that manicole production (Heart of Palm), logging and sawmilling were encouraged. He further stated that 50 loggers have benefited from 32,500 acres of forest land.
Judith David-Blair, a People’s National Congress Reform-1G parliamentarian contradicted Whittaker that electricity was not in Region One when the PPP/C government took office, saying that there was electrification in Mabaruma in the 1960s. David-Blair represents Region Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni) but said that she wanted to address some of the issues in Whittaker’s presentation. She said that teachers in Region One were not given the option of entering training centres in Georgetown and there were efforts to make Region One a “concentration camp”. She also called on the government to address the fuel smuggling between Region One and Venezuela.
David-Blair called the movement of the threshold from $25,000 plus to $28,000 plus “stress hold” since the $3,000 increase had no significance, taking into consideration the VAT paid by housewives.
It was indicated by the MP that many homes cannot afford two-way telephone service, fearing disconnection if the bills cannot be paid on time and the Value Added Tax (VAT) on bills made this worse. Referring to Region Seven, she noted that the region has a vast amount of agricultural resources but it needed market access and machinery to develop this sector. David-Blair also charged that it seemed as though only certain regions were important, since Region Seven got just a small budget allocation. She pointed out that adequate vehicles for the region and cheaper public transportation for residents were still not a reality. Crime, she noted, was a growing concern, but the police did not have adequate transportation, having to borrow private transportation for tours of duty. Police stations also needed refurbishment and adequate staffing and there was need for an adequate fire service, David-Blair added. The PNCR parliamentarian said that she hoped that the government would see hinterland security as a priority.
“Employment is zero-rated in Region Seven,” she said, adding that “only by force this government acts to the need of the people.”
The schools were said to be short of staff, with 50 students to one teacher in the instance of secondary schools and the teachers were forced to run from classroom to classroom. Teacher migration was cited as a major concern and parents were said to be helping out at schools. In addition, there was need for a 24-hour health care treatment; and repairs to key roads in Bartica like Seventh, Eight and Ninth Streets. Moreover the PNCR parliamentarian called for the distribution of resources based on needs. She said further that the budget should “not paint a picture that everything is bright and beautiful.”
PNCR Parliamentarian Africo Selman told the National Assembly that notions of inclusiveness were being questioned, as she turned towards members on the opposition side of the House. Selman issued the challenge that the government should let good sense prevail and restore free education at the University of Guyana.
Still on education, she said that parents were enrolling their children in private schools because they lacked confidence in the public schools and “it is a plain shame.”
The budget, she argued, was grand but it had nothing for the common man. In the area of youth and sport Selman argued that qualified youths feel marginalized and discriminated against as ethnic politics had reared its head. “The people want work,” she said, “to enable them to achieve their dreams.” The PNCR according to Selman had an element of inclusiveness.
Region Three PPP representative Bibi Shadick posited that tours may have to be arranged for members of the House so that they could become familiar with activities in her region.
She said that parents have choices in education and part of that choice is being able to utilize all options. This was a sign of prosperity, Shadick said.
“Leguan is a happy place,” said Shadick and she encouraged parliamentarians to “go visit.”
She mentioned the regularization of housing and the issuance of land transports to residents of the region; and the supply of electricity. In addition, it was noted that the government is building secondary bridges worth $11.1M in Leguan, Wakenaam and in the Parika Backdam, among other areas.
“In the region we are getting where we would like to be,” she said.
Addressing the accusation that Region Three contractors were known for substandard work and that corruption was evident in the region, Shadick said that steps were being taken to address shoddy work.
“Whenever proof comes up it is dealt with very severely.”
PPP Parliamentarian Neil Kumar, representing Region Four, said in his debate presentation that the opposition should work with the government to stamp out corruption.
He also took the liberty to address concerns in Region 10.
Mentioning the bauxite industry, Kumar expressed the view that the industry was sick and run-down when the government took office and the workers were always uncertain of their future. Kumar said that there was now stability in the industry with the presence of the Russian company RUSAL and Omai Bauxite Mining Inc. (OBMI). He declared the mining town of Linden to be prosperous.
The MP said that he was nevertheless dissatisfied with the spread of teachers in Region 10. For example, he noted, there is an excess of over 150 teachers on the payroll, yet schools in the Berbice River are lacking teachers and there are reports of gangs operating at Wisburg Secondary on the Wismar shore.
Returning to Region Four, and contending that government’s initiative was being spread across the ethnic divide, he cited as an example the housing development in Sophia.
