Only Ali can be elected President – Ramsammy tells Granger

Former Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy has postulated that the only way to stop corruption and bring about progress in Guyana is to allow for the swearing-in of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali.
By nature of the recount, which ended since early June, the parliamentary Opposition would have secured more votes, dethroning the APNU/AFC from office.

As Ramsammy called out the coalition Administration for hampering the transition into new governance on Tuesday, he did not spare caretaker President David Granger for insinuating that he would be sworn in this weekend.
The PPP/C Executive affirmed that only Ali could be constitutionally elected as Guyana’s ninth Head of State.
“David Granger on Tuesday sinisterly declared the swearing-in of the President will be this weekend. I know he meant he would be sworn in. I do hope there is a swearing-in of Guyana’s President this weekend, but I know if that happens it can only be President Irfaan Ali,” the former Minister insisted.

Dr Ramsammy, who served under the previous Administration, contended that with every delay, negative ripples are being created by the coalition in the form of corruption and other unethical practices.
“Every day that the swearing-in of President Ali is delayed, the rip-off intensifies, the corrupt transactions become more frequent, and important Government initiatives get deferred… The swearing-in of the 9th President of Guyana, the swearing-in of the new Government and the commencement of the Parliament are imperatives, every day we delay these things, it is an assault on Guyana and on every single Guyanese citizen.”

He went on to say that the Caribbean Court of Justice’s intervention should bring an end to the ongoing fiasco, paving the way for Ali’s swearing-in. He contended that more than 51 per cent of Guyanese voted for the PPP but another 20 per cent who did not vote in favour of them are now backing Ali’s appointment, after witnessing their commitment to democratic rule.
The former parliamentarian said, “The vast majority of Guyanese, including some who did not vote for the PPP, actually want to move on, with Guyana’s new Government. But 120 days after the March 2 elections, the swearing-in of Guyana’s new President, our new Government and our 12th Parliament have become an imperative for reasons more than fulfilling our democratic destiny.”

According to him, Guyana’s new Government and a new Parliament are now imperatives to stop the “wholesale ripping-off” of Guyana. In the past few weeks, he said the Guyanese people continued to focus on the elections results and the way Granger’s “PNC in disguise” has been taking corruption to unbelievable levels.
He pointed to one example, where the national assets were being ripped off through the handling of a contract to market Guyana’s oil share.
The Energy Department had announced that in response to their solicitation for companies to ship and market Guyana’s share of oil, 35 companies expressed interest.

Last week, the Energy Department shortlisted 19 companies for consideration, 15 of which have long lists of “corrupt and scandalous international records, including briberies and jail terms for many officials of these companies”.
Dr Ramsammy shared, “Dr Mark Bynoe is the Head of the Energy Department, an agency under the direct supervision of the President. He has no idea why these 19 companies were shortlisted, does not know if the corruption record of these companies were taken into consideration, nor does he feel it is important for Guyanese to know who shortlisted them. The company that sells Guyana’s share of oil will be responsible for most of Guyana’s oil revenues. This oil revenue will be critical to help Guyana recover from the major economic regression in the last few years”.

The country, he stated, will now have to use its oil money to revive from a heavy debt burden created in just one term of the APNU in office. In the Bank of Guyana, there is a $100 billion overdraft, which he noted is increasing at more than $1 billion per week.

“Already, more than $US400 million in the international reserve has been squandered. Already, also, Guyana has accumulated a loss in import revenue of more than $US150 million in the first half of 2020. It is, therefore, an imperative for Guyana to secure our oil revenues, since all of it must now be used to fill holes APNU+AFC is leaving Guyana with. Instead, Granger’s APNU+AFC is allowing an unbelievable ripping-off of this important Guyanese asset. Every day there is a delay in swearing in the new Government, Guyana’s oil assets are being ripped off.”
Along with the exploitation of the oil assets, he alleged that there is a “frenzy ripping-off” of Guyana’s valuable land assets.

“Hundreds of acres, in fact, have been given away in the last several months. Much of the GuySuCo land is being given away while GuySuCo itself is dying because of the lack of resources to meet its obligations. The longer Guyana wait for its new Government, the worst the ripping-off of Guyana’s assets will become.   The Ocean View $1 billion reconstruction when fully exposed will shock everyone to the core. Not only are taxpayers paying $1 billion in corrupt rehabilitation cost, Guyana will be paying almost $20 million per month in rental cost, electricity and air-conditioning.”
While these shady projects continue to surface, the former Minister said important projects to be undertaken under the PPP Government continued to be delayed until their presidential candidate takes office.

These include the Amaila Hydroelectricity project, the Demerara Harbour Bridge, the Corentyne River Bridge, the Deepwater Harbour, the Specialty Hospital, the Demerara Railway Project, the Georgetown Bypass Road and the gas line to bring Exxon gas to the coast.