Dear Editor,
Guyanese have become weary of Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s dictatorial leadership style of managing their nation, including his disposition against his opponents. To this end, they must REJECT him and his party. His last press conference was obnoxious and lacks respect for fellow mankind. His demeanor demonstrated tendencies, which can be associated with an individual who is troubled. Publicly, I am recommending to his advisors and those closest to him, that he seeks professional intervention.
At his press conference on Thursday, December 12, 2024; he ‘ranted and waved,’ calling those he perceived as his political opponents derogatory names and accused the Coalition Government of doing ‘nothing in the Housing Sector.’
Since, I had the opportunity to serve as Minister within the Ministry of Communities, with responsibility for Housing from the period April 2019-July 31, 2020; I will enlighten your readers what was done. Additionally, he spoke an several other matters involving the Coalition Government, they are: ‘50% increase in salaries for Coalition Ministers, 200 imposed taxes’, 7000 sugar workers sent home, just to name a few.
With space constraints in this your letter column editor, I will briefly explain the three issues mentioned in the above paragraph, to show how disingenuous and mendacious Mr. Jagdeo is, and despite confronted with the TRUTH, he persists with his traits, which I can only describe him as a dishonest person that Guyanese should avoid, since FACTs are stubborn things, where the PPP/C is concerned. However, I will present the FACTS!
On the issue of housing, I will recommend Mr. Jagdeo to visit the following areas: Perseverance, East Bank Demerara, he will see still standing and in top shape the mixture of houses, ranging from two-bedroom elevated houses, bungalow houses and duplexes.
Other areas where houses were built are: Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara, Prospect, East Bank Demerara, Amelia’s Ward Linden and Experiment in West Coast Berbice. Not only were the coast our primary focus; areas in the hinterland such as regions 1, 7 and 9 benefitted under the ‘hinterland housing programme.’ Community roads were built. Community grounds in housing schemes were upgraded, electricity installation done, persons were assisted with building materials, etc.
It is necessary that I remind your readers of the houses built under the 1000 housing programme during Mr. Ifraan Ali’s tenure as Minister. Houses were done to substandard. The Coalition Government did not complain at every opportunity to score cheap politics. What was done, we expended over $2B from the ‘housing funds’ (not the consolidated fund) to remedy and rectify the defects, to ensure persons are comfortable. They are homeowners who can testify to this!
The other issue is this constant peddling of 50% salary increases for Coalition Ministers. Again, this matter was addressed by former colleagues while in Government, and just in September 2022, I wrote to the Editor condemning this fade away, out of tune chorus by the PPP/C and their handlers.
For the countless time, I will say that NOT all Ministers in the Coalition Government received 50% increase in salaries. I did NOT! The hypocrisy of Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo in October 2015, “he will reverse salaries if the PPP/C returns to office.” Four years into office, and this is yet to become a reality. Rather, they have enjoyed across the board salary increases, from 2021 to 2024.
On the issue of Sugar Workers, while the PPP/C constantly fiddle with numbers, and lately Mr. Jagdeo stated, ‘7000 workers were sent home by the Coalition Government.’ The Hansard of the National Assembly will show that it was less than 5000 workers severed, to right side the industry. I tabled questions to Hon. Zulifkar Mustapha to provide a disaggregation in figures for the workers severed as per closed sugar estates. He could NOT, but provided misinformation in the National Assembly.
The last issue I will address is the over 200 new taxes Mr. Jagdeo claimed the Coalition Government imposed on the citizens of Guyana. Like the approach taken for the severed sugar workers, I tabled a question to Dr. Ashni Singh for him to provide a detailed list of the 200 new taxes by the Coalition Government. Editor, he could NOT, but provided the following as his response, which I find inappropriate for Parliamentary Democracy and transparency.
Dr. Singh’s response: ‘the list of taxes and fees imposed by the APNU/AFC government during the period May 2015-August 2020 has been extensively reported on and ventilated in the public domain.’ (May 23, 2023).
Therefore Editor, it is disgusting to see journalists attending Mr. Jagdeo’s press conference, lasting in many instances for 4hrs and beyond to be lectured without fact checking what he says, and request for him to provide the evidence to substantiate his claims against political opponents. I get the impression that the fourth estate has surrendered itself to a government that has driven fear into its society.
I conclude by appealing to reporters and media houses, to go harder with their questions to politicians, especially, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who lies through his teeth and believes he is Guyana’s encyclopedia. Once again, I call on Guyanese to reject Mr. Jagdeo. He has no good intentions for our country, other than dividing, marginalizing, victimizing and discriminating against those whose dare to challenge him. Our country must be set free from the jaws of the PPP/C!
Yours truly,
Annette Ferguson, MP
