APNU+AFC Coalition Government statement of confidence
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
The APNU+AFC Coalition Government re-asserts that it is united, strong and stable.
At our Cabinet meeting today, Tuesday, December 18, the Coalition re-affirm its patriotic commitment to Guyana and strengthens its resolve to realise the good life for all.
Though not without challenges and a few mis-steps, the successes of this Coalition Government are numerous and impressive after over three years in office.
The Coalition Government has restored Guyana’s credibility in the world, protected our national sovereignty and territorial integrity, ensured that there is an independent judiciary, an autonomous Parliament and other constitutional agencies such as GECOM which are all guaranteed full financial independence. Parliament is a vibrant and functioning participatory forum that meets regularly (110 sittings of the National Assembly to date compared with 105, 62 and 88 for the 6th, 7th and 10th Parliaments).
Guyana is a multi-party, open democracy with strengthened institutions of electoral democracy. Two Local Government Elections have been held in 3 years as compared to none having been held for over two decades during the PPP administration.
Guyana today enjoys a plural, free media with full protection for journalists.
Our Coalition Government has been hard at work for the people and has met more often than some previous governments.
This Cabinet has met 219 times since May 2015 (43 months) while, by comparison the PPP Cabinet met 212 from January 2011 to May 2015 (53 months).
The Coalition Government has ensured that national defence and security take high priority, resulting in a marked reduction in serious crimes and the halting of piracy, which was rampant and had reached epidemic proportions on the high seas.
Our Coalition has promoted social security and lifted the image of our indigenous peoples as Guyanese citizens, enjoying equal rights and opportunities. Our Government has upheld multi-cultural cooperation and facilitated social cohesion.
There have been, during the three and a half years of the Coalition Government, the disappearance and complete suppression of acts of torture, extra-judicial killings, summary executions, and the existence, with impunity, of death squads and drug gangs which had stalked the land under the PPP administration.
The Coalition Government has restored confidence in, and integrity to, public life. We combatted rampant, pervasive corruption among persons holding public office, reconstituted the Integrity Commission and appointed a Public Procurement Commission to handle state procurement.
The Coalition Government has improved access to education resulting in better attendance and pass rates, and has maintained affordable college and university education.
We have maintained free access to reliable public healthcare and provided safe, potable water even to hinterland communities. We ensured low and reasonable tolls across the Demerara and Berbice river bridges.
Our Coalition undertook the completion of West Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara and East Coast Demerara highways and delivered five pedestrian overpasses and a major roundabout.
We have delivered a newly expanded international airport and better hinterland aerodromes and airstrips. Confidence in the airline industry has been restored with major airlines coming to Guyana and serving as host of a global airline conference.
We have worked on securing better and more markets for rice along with launching more seed paddy varieties for farmers who also benefit from several new, high capacity pumps and access to fertilizers.
We have delivered 132 ICT Hubs and six, world class Regional Radio Stations in Mabaruma, Bartica, Mahdia, Orealla, Lethem and Aishalton. Guyana can now boast of having a truly national public information network, that links the Coastland and the hinterland. Our people all across Guyana have free access to the internet and are connected and communicating with persons all over the world.
Guyanese today can see and feel the change.
There have been the construction and renovation of numerous bridges and police facilities, the surfacing of roads along with the installation of thousands of streets lights.
Improvements in community facilities such as schools, health centres, parks and playing fields are further evidence of the change that the Coalition Government has brought everywhere in Guyana.
Georgetown, is being restored as a capital, garden city. It is cleaner and more beautiful, and not cluttered with garbage and no longer prone to chronic, pervasive flooding.
VAT has been reduced, public servants salaries increased by 63%, the tax threshold lifted to $780,000 annually while personal income tax has been reduced. The business community has been incrementally expanding and launching new ventures which demonstrates confidence in the economy, the prudent management of the national affairs and future prospects.
Working people who still carry the burden of past neglect and starvation wages are better off under this Coalition Government and have every reason to be hopeful that their lot would further improve in the near future.
Teachers, nurses, doctors, soldiers, policemen and women, pensioners, young people, single parents, everyone in public service deserve to enjoy the good life.
Guyana is today in a transformation mode.
Even with the closure of some estates, and the right-sizing of GuySuCo, the jobs of 10,000 sugar workers have been protected and production at only three estates has netted, so far, 105,000 tonnes of sugar for 2018. Our Government has rescued and save the sugar industry from collapse. Many sugar workers were rehired and all were paid severance with interest.
Guyanese have every reason to feel and believe that their country finally is in clean and safe hands and the Coalition Government urges all, both here and in the Diaspora, to rally around their government.
We also urge all patriotic Guyanese and their organizations to let their voices be heard: “‘No’ to the motion! ‘Yes’ to confidence!”
Against this background, the Coalition Government is certain that the No Confidence Motion brought by the Opposition Leader will be resoundingly and comprehensively defeated in the National Assembly on Friday, December 21st.
-ENDS-