President Donald Ramotar last evening said that there seems to be a crusade to taint every project that government embarks upon as corrupt, while he lashed out at the opposition.
“They don’t want to see progress… it is jealousy!” he declared at the opening ceremony of the third International Building Expo at the Guyana National Stadium yesterday.
Ramotar criticised main opposition APNU over its call for an investigation into the house lot distribution process, saying that it is a vicious attack on the integrity of the “hardworking” staff of the Ministry of Housing and Water. APNU had made the call for a probe during a press conference on Thursday, saying that it had received many complaints front citizens.
Ramotar also criticised the opposition parties on their cutting of the national budget by over $20 billion as well as comments attributed to members of the opposition suggesting that those affected by the situation would be collateral damage.
He called the opposition parties “callous” for their actions and comments and said it showed a level of ingratitude. “Shame on them!” he said.
The expo was presented under the theme ‘Embracing Standards, Building the Future’ and Ramotar noted that to build a home of one’s own is one of the most important and noble tasks one can do. He said that Guyana has moved from the “humanitarian” building of homes in the early 90s to a vibrant and growing construction industry today, with adjoining hardware and materials businesses expansion.
“Over the next five years, we plan to distribute 30,000 house lots… we will continue to push ahead,” said Ramotar. He called on the players in the industry to push ahead with the use of lesser known materials for building, with a view to developing those industries in Guyana and creating jobs.
Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali, meanwhile, said that Guyana’s economy is booming and the housing and construction sectors are reflective of this growth. He noted that a Chinese company is willing to invest US$500 million into a housing scheme and industrial zone in Guyana. He said too that Toolsie Persaud is willing to invest into the housing sector as well.
Ali, who also holds the portfolio of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, said that the projects such as the Marriott Hotel, the airport expansion and the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project are all critical for the advancement of Guyana. “They will bring benefits to Guyana…Government stands committed to providing details on any of these projects. But the questions must not be based on self interest but in putting Guyana first,” Ali said. Ali added that Guyana requires a “different culture” in order to progress. “It needs Guyanese who understand the importance of nationalistic thinking,” he said, adding that persons do the country an injustice when they ‘bad talk’ Guyana when overseas. “We need to change to a culture of cooperation and togetherness,” Ali said.
Vice-Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) Clinton Urling filled in for Yog Mahadeo, who stepped down from the position as Chairman of the PSC, at the opening.
Urling, also President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), said that the physical evidence of housing and industrial development speaks louder than statistics can.
He said that the housing sector contributes to the GDP in a significant way, while also representing the best of government and private sector collaboration to the benefit of the home owner. Many of the companies that have exhibited at the previous expos have reported growth in business as a result of the exposure, he also pointed out.
Among the over 45 sponsors of the building expo were Scotiabank, Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph and Impressions.
There are over 100 exhibitors from Guyana, Suriname, the United States of America and China.
