Lawrence plays up investment in Region Four

According to PNCR chairperson Volda Lawrence, the coalition government has invested hundreds of millions in Region Four because, unlike the previous administration, they consider the Region and its people “valuable”

Speaking just before President David Granger took the stage at an APNU+AFC meeting at Golden Grove on Friday, Lawrence, who has become a controversial figure, argued that the coalition government is a caring government.

She was silent on accusations that she was creating confusion when she urged supporters at a rally last Sunday to protect the ballot box.  Instead, she focused on the coalition’s message of “give David some time”.

“The PPP had 23 years in office to transform this country and all they did was fill their pockets,” she argued, contrasting their track record with the coalition’s four years.

“The David Granger administration invested in this Region…and we didn’t invest small change. In 2017 we invested $502 million so you could get lights and roads and bridges and by 2019 it was $605.5 million,” Lawrence shared while contrasting these numbers with the $192 million invested in 2012 and $228 million in 2014.

The Minister of Public Health then moved to the sum allocated under her sector and projects funded therein.

She explained that last year the more than $1 billion allocated for the Region 4 health programme has made it possible for persons to access ultrasound services at the Buxton and Enterprise health centres and funded a well-equipped maternity ward at the C.C. Nicholson Hospital among others.

Her presentation proved just as rousing for the crowd as that of President Granger and was surprisingly better received than that of the Region 4 Campaign manager Basil Williams.

Williams who spoke before Lawrence attempted to impress the crowd with an anecdote from the 2011 election but failed.

The anecdote revolved around a conversation between Williams and then Presidential candidate Granger at Ann’s Grove.

As Williams wound his way through the laborious tale the previously hyperactive crowd became visibly subdued.

His refrain of “I know this man” failed to resonate but Williams persisted telling the crowd that Granger was a man who recognised the importance of education so he provided the David G school buses, boats, bicycles, bags, books and breakfast.

Williams also spoke of the Capital towns initiative which he said is delivering services and changing lives.

Significantly while Prime Ministerial Candi-date Khemraj Ramjattan was present at the rally he did not speak. There were no speakers from the Alliance for Change. The only speaker not from the PNCR was the Minister of Public Service Tabitha Sarabo-Halley. The member of the Working People’s Alliance told the crowd that “one good term deserves another” and urged that they make the coalition’s 2020 victory the largest political victory in Guyana’s history.