Former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall

Guyana’s 50th independence anniversary

– NY law firm to oversee commemoration committee

Millions of taxpayers’ dollars are being drained from the treasury and pumped into making Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations locally and abroad as extravagant and exceptional as can be.

Simultaneously, Government is denying desperate rice farmers critical financial assistance; sugar workers are striking against an impending denial of their wage increases; pensioners were denied subsidies on their utility bills and children all across Guyana were denied a $10,000 cash grant to assist in the purchase of their school uniform.

Expressing his utmost disgust over the situation, former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, during an interview with Guyana Times on Sunday, slammed the current Administration for focusing on spending enormous sums of taxpayers’ monies on “parties” and “fetes”, while the economic sectors of the country continue to suffer tremendously.

“It is absolutely preposterous,” he declared. Nandlall pointed out that Guyana was encountering serious economic and financial difficulties in its various sectors, but from all indications, it appears as if Government was only directing its energies towards “hosting grand galas which will in no way lessen the assault on the critical commercial industries of the country.”

He noted that the Private Sector already has reported that the economy has contracted, with hundreds of businesses across the country crying out from sales decline which have resulted in retrenchment. The sugar industry, one of the pillars of Guyana’s economy, is currently experiencing some troubling times with workers striking against an impending cut in their wage increases which will only add to the expenses of the already cash-strapped Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). The rice industry is practically on the verge of collapse, with rice farmers complaining of low paddy prices and high costs of operations. The mining industry is also contracting due to the drastic decline in world gold prices. The construction industry has virtually closed down because there is presently no movement in the Government housing programme.

Nandlall contended that even amid this economic crisis, Government is sucking the treasury dry to facilitate overgenerous activities that will only thrust the country into more financial difficulties.

“When they took office, they reported that the treasury was empty, but every single day they pay themselves 50 per cent increases in salaries and every single day we are hearing about huge expenditures in areas that are not going to generate income and areas that are not going to benefit the people of this country,” Nandlall highlighted.

Magnitude of celebrations

Guyana will be observing its 50th anniversary celebrations on May 26, 2016 and Government intends to make the year-long celebrations big and grand. Celebratory activities will also be held in the United States where Government has hired New York law firm ‘Rozario and Associates’ to represent Guyanese-Americans on a commemoration committee which was established for the purpose of planning the events.

The celebration is scheduled to take place in New York City from June 4th through June 12th, 2016, subsequent to the festivities in Guyana.

According to reports, the law firm will be tasked with overseeing specific legal, organisational and business issues surrounding the work to be performed by the committee.

“They are finding money to spend on a grand inauguration ceremony and now they are spending millions locally on this independence commemoration activity. And coupled with that, we now learn that they retained the services of a law firm to plan commemoration services in North America,” he stated.

Nandlall made it clear that he was not against hosting commemoration services for Guyana’s 50th independence anniversary; however, he simply could not comprehend the need for such magnitude of celebrations, particularly in North America.

“Why do we need a law firm to plan the celebrations when we know that law firms charge high rates by the hour? Won’t this money be better spent on giving subsidies to the rice farmers or increasing wages for sugar workers and public servants? Would it not be better spent in coming up with a stimulus package to move the economy forward? Would it not be better spent to retain the services of a firm to look for investments for Guyana? Would it not be better spent to retain the services of the firm to advise Guyana on the border controversies with Venezuela and Suriname? How will the people of Guyana benefit from fetes and parties in North America?”

These are all questions that Nandlall is demanding be answered.

Misleading answers

Nandlall reminded Government that it had an obligation to the Guyanese populace. He also reminded that it was the Government who campaigned vigorously on the issue of transparency and accountability. Yet, when questions are thrown in their direction seeking clarity on various Government spending, the Administration opts to give “misleading and ambiguous answers”. He was making reference to the issue surrounding the expenses incurred for the presidential inauguration events.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had submitted several questions to the Government, seeking clarification on several concerns about the costs for the inauguration spending, but the Finance Ministry, in its response to those questions, vaguely revealed that no money was spent from state coffers for this purpose. However, this varies considerably from what two Government Ministers, State Minister Joseph Harmon and Junior Education Minister Nicolette Henry had announced.

Nevertheless, Nandlall insisted that Government provide clarity on this matter. In addition, he is requesting that Government reveal how much money was to be paid to retain the law firm and by what process of public procurement was this law firm selected.

“Is it their friend, somebody’s family and why a law firm?” Nandlall said, expressing his bewilderment over the need for the services of a law firm for party planning.

In quoting Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, the former Attorney General reminded the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration that “you cannot live in a donkey cart economy and party in a Cadillac lifestyle.”