By Staff Writer
The Irfaan Ali government is fabricating a perception of incompetence on the part of Opposition-led Councils by starving these bodies of resources to carry out their functions, says People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR). This “deliberate” act, the party says, is geared at making A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC)-led Councils “look bad”. The PNCR is the largest party within the APNU+AFC Coalition.
The PNCR’s statement comes on the heels of a massive joint clean-up exercise facilitated by the government and the private sector over the last weekend, with truckloads of garbage being removed from key areas of the capital.
“While a clean-up of the City is welcome, it has to be noted, that it is the Government’s decision to starve the City Council of funds, its unwillingness to allow the representatives of the people to function and its desire to dominate and control all aspects of people’s life in Guyana that is responsible for the terrible state of the City. The PPP/C inherited a clean City and in pursuance of its policy to make PNCR and APNU+AFC led Councils look bad, it facilitated the pile up of garbage in Georgetown,” the PNCR said.
The Aubrey Norton-led PNCR noted that while it understands the relief felt by citizens from the city clean-up, it is urging the government to: ensure local democratic organs are allowed to serve the people who elected them; provide adequate funding and other resources to these organs; and desist from using the Disciplined Forces for such exercises, and instead use the opportunity to provide employment for local residents and small operators on a permanent and professional basis.
The PNCR said that should the government display “good faith” on these and other local government issues, it will stand ready to engage in the interest of all Guyanese and their communities.
The party last week lamented the use of the joint services: the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), and the Guyana Fire Service, in the clean-up exercise. It argued that police officers should not be focused on cleaning garbage in the wake of increased crime. This publication has already reported that PNCR Member Ministers, while in government, also used GPF and GDF ranks to conduct clean-ups.
With these clowns in the APNU/PNC/AFC, it is always someone else who is responsible. They are never to blame.