Dear Editor,
I write to address and rebut the persistent misinformation recently peddled by Minister Keoma Griffith regarding the so-called “200 taxes” allegedly imposed by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government.
This narrative is neither new nor substantiated. It is instructive to remind the public that in 2023, I, as a then Member of Parliament, directly challenged this claim during parliamentary engagements. At that time, the then Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, failed to provide a single comprehensive list or any empirical justification for these alleged taxes. To date, no such evidence has been produced. Repetition does not convert propaganda into fact.
Minister Griffith is not only a Minister of Government but also an Attorney-at-Law and, by his own profession of faith, my brother in Christ. As Christians, we are bound by morals, principles, and values that demand honesty, diligence, and truthfulness. It is therefore deeply disappointing that he would advance a narrative without first conducting proper research, examining primary sources, and arming himself with verifiable facts; particularly when such claims have long been exposed as politically convenient talking points perpetuated by the PPP/C.
Equally troubling is his assertion that the Coalition Government sent home over 7,000 sugar workers. A careful review of the parliamentary Hansard for the period 2016–2017 would reveal that this figure is grossly exaggerated and misleading. The records show that approximately 4,700 sugar workers were paid severance, and the restructuring of the sugar industry must be understood within its economic and operational context, rather than reduced to emotive and inaccurate soundbites.
I must also express my profound disappointment with the Government’s performance during the recent budget debates. The Government side failed to adequately defend a staggering $1.558 trillion national budget. Five years after the Coalition demitted office, the PPP/C continues to fixate on the 2015–2020 period, as though that brief interval represents the entirety of Guyana’s history, while conveniently glossing over its own lengthy record in office.
Let us be clear: Guyana had no oil production or oil revenues during the period 1992–2020. Yet, under 23 years of PPP/C governance, the country was poorly managed, and its international reputation severely damaged by entrenched corruption, narco-trafficking allegations, extrajudicial killings, and the imposition of a burdensome 16% Value Added Tax. In contrast, during the five years of Coalition governance, Guyana experienced measurable improvements; VAT was reduced from 16% to 14%, extrajudicial killings ceased, police-civilian relations improved, public servants benefited from salary increases, and infrastructure development accelerated.
Now, with unprecedented oil revenues at its disposal, it is evident that the PPP/C is once again failing to govern responsibly. Recycling discredited narratives and avoiding accountability will not build a nation.
My appeal to my young brother, Minister Griffith, is simple: do not allow party politics to blind you. Examine issues through an objective and principled lens. Speak truth, not talking points.
And to the Guyanese people—
it is time to wake up.
Yours truly,
Annette Ferguson
