Jagdeo points out contradictions in Norton’s development strategy

– Says a country cannot be managed by ‘slogans’

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has criticised the people-centred development plan put forth by the APNU+AFC opposition, stating that it is nothing but a collection of slogans that cannot holistically manage a country.

At a media engagement on Thursday, Dr Jagdeo said that key elements of the opposition’s strategy are slogans and when compared to the government’s development plan, it is not extensive enough.

On the contrary, the PPP/C Government has developed a comprehensive National Development Strategy (NDS), divided into six volumes which focuses on different sectors ranging from social services, agriculture, productive sectors and infrastructure among other important areas.

And so, Dr Jagdeo highlighted that the opposition’s attempt to project that they have a strategy for the country’s development is nothing but a ‘juvenile attempt’.

“You must forgive me when I find it certifiably imbecilic, that an opposition leader can unveil a development strategy in his budget presentation … people-centred or not, it’s just rhetoric,” the general secretary expressed.

Dr Jagdeo pointed out that the opposition’s strategy contains proposed improvements to social services such as health and education, which he noted is a contradiction since the opposition is criticizing the $1.146 billion budget that invests in all of these sectors.

Eighty per cent of the budget is focused on improving social services whether it be in health, education, housing water and electricity.

“Healthcare, he says will be his strategy and they are opposed to building these 12 hospitals and the rehabilitation of the Linden and Bartica Hospitals. They’re saying we’re spending too much on infrastructure. Now how are we going to get quality healthcare?” He questioned.

Furthermore, the general secretary reminded, that from 2015 to 2020 under the coalition, no significant investments were made to provide high-quality electricity to the populace, and now, they are promising to provide electricity. APNU+AFC is also opposed to the development of the landmark gas-to-energy project which is allotted $80 billion in the budget to advance its construction.

“Now they’re criticizing the gas-to-energy project but where would it come from? Where would this high-quality electricity come from, which is part of his people-centred strategy … where will it come from if we don’t invest in it now … It’s laughable, it’s moronic … it’s imbecilic. He lists it as one of his people-centred strategies and then they’re opposed to investment in this area,” Dr Jadeo added.

He continued to stress that the parliamentary opposition does not have a development plan for Guyana.

“To call it a strategy, it’s an injustice what he has done. They don’t have a plan, secondly, you can’t manage by slogans … he is sloganeering,” the GS asserted.