Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira on Wednesday night declared that the use of Guyana’s oil wealth is focused on the modernisation and expansion of the country’s economic base and the government’s projects and policies are designed to ensure that all Guyanese benefit.
Her statement is in response to those of U.S. Democratic Congressman Hank Johnson and Chairman of the Congressional sub-committee on the Western Hemisphere Albio Sires. Both Congressmen have called on Guyana to ensure its wealth benefits all Guyanese.
“We have been moving to ensure that all Guyanese are benefiting from the wealth of our country, prior to oil, during oil, and after oil.
“The programmes we [have] brought out since are focusing on making sure that Guyanese benefit not only from oil money but from the development of our nation [and], the modernization and expansion of our economic base,” the Government Minister said.
Minister Teixeira also denounced allegations that the government was being “discriminatory”, as she accused the previous APNU+AFC Government of same.
“The party that is guilty of discrimination, which keeps hollering about discrimination is in fact the party that was in government for five years.
“It is the same party that punished Guyana for five months to wait for the declaration of the results of the elections in the midst of a COVID pandemic and so the party that is responsible for holding us back is now the party that is saying that they don’t recognise the government as being legitimate,” the Minister pointed out.
Minister Teixeira said the PPP government has no qualms with the call by the US Congressman that all Guyanese should benefit equally from Guyana’s wealth.
However, she said it is prompted by those who refuse to accept and recognise the government’s legitimacy.
“We won’t be bullied…therefore, we look forward to the APNU+AFC taking a mature political position of recognising the PPP/C as the legitimate government of our country, and then the opportunities for dialogue and a number of issues become opened.
“We wish to assure friends in the United States that we are committed and the proof is in our manifesto.”
