ba$eman posted:Mars posted:caribny posted:Mars posted
What do you expect PPP soupies to say? They are peddling that lie so that it sinks in for 2020.
Well I am hearing for people who were fervent supporters of the coalition that the economy has slowed from the point of view of the average person. Even the vendors complained.
I think that what we can debate is the reasons why. While there is growth at the macro level, it isn't getting down to the man in the street. The Canadians spend their money, pay their fees and royalties, but I suspect the multiplier effect isn't that high, so there is less seepage into the general economy.
This isn't to suggest that the PPP did anything to support the economy between 2008-2014. Gold, remittances, and money laundering all created a bubble economy, that was going to bust as soon as gold prices dropped.
Maybe it isn't as bad as it could be, when we look at Suriname, with a similar economy, which definitely isn't doing 3%.
The real economy is just about the same as nothing drastic has changed from the PPP days to now. Drugs money flowing freely is down but if you want the crime situation to improve, the drug problem has to be tackled. You can't have it both ways. If you let drugs run out of control like in Jagdeo days, crime will run out of control. Remittances are down because less drugs money is being laundered and this trend started a couple of years ago. A significant amount of remittances is drugs money being legally washed in the system.
Now, if drug money down, how did the economy remain the same when Drug money was the fuel? If crime would be out of control should drug run freely like under the PPP, they home come there is a big upsurge in crime since May 2015??
Bais, alyuh tying alyuh self up in knots trying to square the circle in alyuh heads.
Gold royalties have almost doubled since May 2015. In part, due to better policing, less smuggling and also the large new mine coming on stream. Sugar and bauxite had higher production numbers in 2015 vs 2014 resulting in increased revenues. There has been increased government spending in the 2015 and 2016 budgets. The new government is doing a better job of collecting revenues from all those businessmen who had a free ride during the PPP days. More taxes collected has resulted in more money being available for the government to spend on large projects hence the larger budgets compared to PPP years.
Initially, crime did not change much as it took a while for the policing systems to be improved after May 2015. Recruits are being hired but it takes a few months until they graduate from training school and can be put onto the streets. The joint operation between the army and police has helped to slow crime this year. Gradually, serious crime is showing a downward trend as reflected in the 19% decrease during the first quarter of 2016 vs the same period in 2015. Crimes are also being solved at a better rate vs PPP years when people were being whacked and no one ever arrested. The crime chief should be commended as he has made a huge impact in the crime solving area.