Education Ministry debunks APNU+AFC’s untruths

The Ministry of Education rejects as wholly untrue and malicious the claim by the APNU/AFC that a unit under the APNU was set up at the Ministry of Education to address the Housing revolving fund and that said unit was dismantled by the new PPP/C Government.

At a press conference today where the Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, known APNU MP Ganesh Mahipaul and backbencher

Coretta Mc Donald were present, the party made the preposterous and bogus claim that “as a matter of fact that housing project was there since 2006 where we asked for a revolving housing project and that house lots be given to teachers in other areas across this country. Those have never ever been brought to light or we have not been able to successfully bring that on board except for when the coalition came into office, the coalition decided at that time they were going to put together a unit at the Ministry of Education to deal specifically with the housing revolving project. By that time, we would have already been able to acquire $200 million, even more now…and that’s where the coalition decided at the Ministry of Education that we were going to have this unit. Every aspect was put in place to have that unit in operation but when the PPP came into office in 2020, they disbanded that approach. We had another offer to them where we were going to use the Guyana Public Service Credit Union to administer this project, they have also thrown that aside.” access to duty-free concessions C. scholarships to the University of Guyana. D. Uniform allowance E. risk allowance. And F hard lying allowance etc.

The Ministry of Education puts on record the facts of this matter. Those are as follows 1. In or around 2006 the then Bharrat Jagdeo-led PPP/C Government struck a historic agreement with the Guyana Teachers’ Union which gave to teachers, inter alia A. salary increases, B.

That agreement came to an end in or around 2011 and was renewed by the PPP government again. Notably when the agreement expired under the APNU/AFC teachers were unable to enjoy any of those benefits and the GTU was unable to meet the Minister of Education or any senior Govt official leading to a national strike in or around 2018. This is a notorious fact.

In 2006, $200 million was placed into a fund by the Bharrat Jagdeo Administration. No further money was given by the APNU. That money remains in a fund. At no point was a unit established in the Ministry of Education or anywhere else in the Govt. under the APNU/AFC as was claimed at the Opposition press conference. Indeed, a proposal was made for same but the APNU/AFC led Ministry of Finance refused to allow any such unit.

The Ministry calls on the Guyana Teachers’ Union to correct this malicious, bold-faced untruth so as not to interfere with the healthy negotiations that have begun between the Government of Guyana and the Union. Particularly the Union would recall the options discussed at the last meeting for the usage of the money currently in the Fund. It would be a shame to allow those talks to come crashing down because it may be in the interest of the Opposition to have unhappy teachers.

The Ministry calls on the main Opposition APNU/ AFC to be responsible, truthful and sensible in their representations and consider the damage it does to itself when it allows its members to be untruthful about matters that are easily verifiable and where the truth is already in the public domain.

The Ministry is also inviting teachers to understand that the APNU/AFC appears at this point to have no interest in teachers benefiting from any service or expressions of love by the Government. Ask yourselves what would be better for this political party in Opposition: teachers enjoying the benefit of negotiations between their Union and the Government or teachers striking on the road. The Government invites teachers to reject persons and parties who are attempting to use them as pawns in their various quests for power.

Framework Agreement for reconstruction of the Soesdyke-Linden...

all that we possibly can to continue to improve the lives of the people of Region 10,” Singh had affirmed.

The Soesdyke-Linden Highway is a 73 kilometres-long two-lane highway that runs between Soesdyke and Linden in Guyana. The East Bank Public Road connects Soesdyke with Georgetown.

The US$200 Million Framework Agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 2023 Islamic Develop-

← FROM PAGE 17 ment Bank (IsDB) Group’s Annual Meetings currently underway in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Singh is leading Guyana’s delegation attending those meetings.

Additionally, Minister Singh and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Saudi Fund for Development Mr. Sultan A. AlMarshad signed a US$ 150 Million Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the Saudi Fund’s Participation in the Financing of infrastruc-

Steps taken to prevent a...

Registration, the long delays between each cycle and the preparation and distribution of national Identification Cards.

• The issue of “residency” was clarified in keeping with the Constitution.

• Continuous Registration is office base and field verification was also addressed.

• Source documents to facilitate National Registration was dealt with.

• Claims and Objections and Preliminary Voters’ List were also simplified.

• Treat with the particulars of persons alleged to be deceased was addressed.

• Penalties for Registration Offences were revised and introduce in areas where it was deemed necessary.

It is anticipated that these approved amendments will offer clear procedural as well as process guidance to all categories of elections officials at the Guyana Elections Commission, members of civil society, observer groups, political parties and their representatives as well as the general public. It is also envisaged that the “loopholes” which were exploited by those who were intent on committing electoral fraud would no longer be tural development works for the Housing Sector and Construction of the Wismar Bridge.

Further, Singh also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) concerning the Country Engagement Framework for Guyana for Green, resilient and sustainable infrastructure as well as for supporting economic diversification and doing business.

← FROM PAGE 23 available.

In my humble view, the process of electoral and registration reform is a continuous one and as situation and circumstances changes, it will certainly require additional amendments to the legal framework, regulating these two (2) extremely important processes, in safeguarding this Nation’s democracy at the level of the Ballot boxes.

Finally, the PPP/C government, under the leadership of President Mohamed Irfaan Ali must be commended for bringing these relief legal measures in place.