Opposition Leader, President clash over performance of Gov’t

“Just look at Basil Williams you will get the picture and Phagwal- oh, what’s her name? [Nicolette] Henry,” Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo said as he graded the Government’s competency.

Analysing the annual performance of the APNU+AFC coalition has become a pastime for the former president who, for the third consecutive year, gave the governing administration an ‘F’ grade for its overall effort in managing the country.

Jagdeo, at a news conference at his Church Street Office, said the Government has earned a fail grade in areas of job creation, crime reduction, tax regime and economic development.

He said the Government has only achieved flying colours in the area of corruption because of several scandals and procurement breaches which have been flagged in the Auditor General’s report.

Earlier this month, the Government’s Department of Public Information issued a newsletter detailing over 200 achievements to mark the coalition’s third anniversary in government.

But Jagdeo discredited most of the listed achievements, saying that many of the achievements are simply routine responsibilities of the Government such as hosting conferences.

In some cases, Jagdeo said the listed achievements are simply misleading like boasting about a reduction in Value Added Tax and making progress in Amerindian Land Titling.

But President David Granger told reporters earlier in the day that he is satisfied with the performance of his Government.

“Sometimes commentators tend to underestimate the difficulties we face in terms of our finance and international relations and crime and security but I think that sober analysts will see that we’ve made tremendous progress,” President Granger stated.

The Head of State said in the fullness of time, his Government will be able to deliver to the good life promised to Guyanese.