While the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) boasts of restoring democracy in Guyana, it failed to enable the hosting of eight Local Government Elections (LGEs) during its previous 23 years in office. This was according to A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), Dineshwar Jaiprashad, moments ago as Day Two of the 2020 Budget debate continues at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
During his debut presentation to the House, Jaiprashad said that this “restoration of democracy” that the PPP/C speaks of, is a fallacy. He reminded the House that it was the Coalition government that restored LGEs in Guyana after more than two decades.
“Local government was not a focus for the PPP in 23 years. They claim that in 1992, democracy was restored – they claimed. So, how can you claim democracy was restored in 1992, and you were supposed to have eight Local Government Elections in 23 years…So it means as though, democracy has different meanings to different sets of people,” the MP said.
He added that contrary to Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, the APNU+AFC never used the Local Democratic Organs (LDOs) as a slush fund.
“We used the funds to rectify the slush system that the PPP left in 23 years…We used the funds to clean the slush that was left there,” he said.
