Guyana moved steadfastly forward under PPP/C Gov’t

– “The struggle is not yet over” – Teixeira

Guyana has moved from the depths of collapse and despair to a modern democratic nation under the PPP/C administration and, while it is still challenged to overcome old and new obstacles no one can deny that the country has moved steadfastly and made quantum leaps, Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira stated during her address to mark the celebration of 20 years of the party in government.

She declared that history will illustrate that the PPP/C administration restored and reconstructed every facet of life in Guyana. “We had to be innovative in order to address our political, historical, climatic and geographic inheritances, and our stark and oppressive economic and social reality, and innovate we did,” Teixeira stated. “Whether one voted for the PPP or any other party, as Guyanese we should all be proud of these innovations that were Guyanese created and Guyanese driven,” she added.
Twenty years ago Dr. Cheddi Jagan was sworn in as the third Executive President after the first free and fair elections in 28 years. “The road we traversed as a people was long and appeared many times hopeless, but endured and persevered we did. On October 5, 1992, with primary electoral reform in place, that is counting the vote at the place of poll, we could be confident that a new era for the country would begin,” Teixeira said.
She acknowledged the members and executives of the Party as well as past presidents Cheddi and Janet Jagan, Samuel Hinds, Bharrat Jagdeo and current President Donald Ramotar.
Pointing to the run-up to the 1992 elections, Teixeira explained that the party during that period gained friends both at home and abroad. “We made allies and partners who joined us over the 28 years to achieve the first free and fair elections. And so the stage to commence the enormous and daunting task of restoring democracy and rebuilding a beautiful but badly battered country and nation began,” she stated.
“I wish to thank all who over the 20 years of this restoration, reconstruction, transformation modernisation period, who joined us in this effort. Who from the point of view of national and patriotic commitment put country first and nation first and worked with us to move this country to the height it has reached today.”
Teixeira pointed out that the ‘winner does not take all’ concept and the Guyanese model began to fructify prior to ‘92, and found expression in the birth of the PPP/C alliance and advanced and permeated the constitutional reform process.
“It permeated the parliamentary and legislative reforms. The inclusive government model based on participatory democracy to the point that the architecture of the Guyanese state and parliamentary models is recognized as unique in the entire Caribbean and in many parts of the Commonwealth of nations.”
She noted that debt crisis inherited had to be addressed and managed since it was a stranglehold on the country’s developmental agenda, “and condemned our people to destitution and further injustices and inequality.”
Guyana’s debt problem has now reached manageable proportions she declared, “Through wise, prudent fiscal and financial management” that gives the spring for Government to expand social services and a social safety net.
On assumption of office, there was the recognition by the PPP/C administration that the expansion of the economy had to go hand in hand with anti poverty reduction strategies and greater access to delivery of goods and services. This led to a pro-growth approach to national development which was conceptualized and enshrined in the body politics and the policies and programmes of successive PPP/C governments.
She acknowledged that the jewel in the crown of the PPP/C administration is the government’s housing programme and that for 10 years before 1991, there were no low income houses built, and the Ministry of Housing was closed. There was no money to start such a programme as conceptualized by Dr. Jagan when he assumed office.
However, it was since developed through a model of best practice to reduce poverty and to provide people with the right to property and security of tenure. It also empowered women as land owners, provided opportunities and facilitated clean shelters and better conditions of life especially for the poor and vulnerable, and kick started booming construction, manufacturing and employment opportunities.
She posited that the housing programme while creating new and very open emerging sectors also shaped new and multi-ethnic communities, “thus changing the inheritance of the sixties of ethnically divided villages.”
The Presidential Advisor also spoke about the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and the fact that it has set out a national development agenda for the 21st Century and made an enormous contribution in placing Guyana on the international stage. Teixeira commended former President Bharrat Jagdeo for the conception of the LCDS and his subsequent award as a Champion of the Earth.
“We must be proud of our achievements and we must be proud as Guyanese, and we must continue our commitment to build Guyana. The struggle was hard and arduous and has tested the PPP and demanded responsible and wise leadership. Our achievements have been formidable, our future demands that we continue to transform and modernize our nation. The PPP has accumulated a wealth of experience. We learned what will work and what will not… our credibility as a government in incontestable.”
Teixeira urged Guyanese to remember, recognize and protect the gains made by the PPP/C administration and warned that the struggle is not yet over, and the task of nation building is not complete. She reminded them that the credibility and track record of the PPP/C is set. Saluting the achievements of 20 years she urged that Guyanese keep their sight on the future and continue to build and advance over the next 20 years.