Guyana blooming

Guyanese will, at midnight tonight, bid 2014 goodbye and as traditionally expected, there will be resolutions of all kinds. As we know such a ritual to be, it is about self-set goals, promises to oneself to be specific that are about getting rid of negative habits, and setting a course for future endeavours.

But, as is the well-known saying ‘Talking is one thing; doing is another’, which is so true about resolutions, which for another interpretation is all about steering the course for better results.
Of course, it must be reminded that one can only achieve positive results by working conscientiously towards same. Nothing is ever received by making wishes.

For the nation in general, all the gains that have been accruing to the benefit and enjoyment of our citizens since 1992; all the providing of essential socio-economic infrastructure that have gone toward transforming Guyana, have not happened accidentally, or through wishful thinking.

Certainly, such national development plans would have been carefully conceived, discussed, debated, and finalised by our government since it is its mandate to do such. There are so many factors that would have been considered before final approval, funding and execution of national projects.

That we state this, is because there are those perennial critics, particularly of the ilk of the two parliamentary Opposition parties, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), whose tactic of continuously denigrating the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government’s development policies, seeks to portray a scenario of either insufficient planning, or no planning and “incompetent” management.

In any system, no matter how careful is its administration, given the human factor, there will be disappointments. This is a well established fact, in even the most advanced countries. This is not to say, though, that shoddy and substandard work by contractors should be tolerated, since these tally further costs to government.
But government is on record, as not only voicing its outright dis-approval with poor works on projects, but has also terminated many contracts for such.
So let it be known, that the amazing transformation that is so evident all over Guyana: the new housing schemes in which thousands of working class Guyanese are now proud home owners; the newly built hospitals, diagnostic centres with state-of-the-art technology; new schools; vocational institutes; availability of potable water supply and water treatment plants throughout Guyana; construction of roads; increased wages and salaries and old age pensions; increased raising of the tax threshold that has allowed for more disposable income – are not-fly-by-night conceptions. They are real, living monuments to plans converted into reality. This government has been delivering!
Just ask the Private Sector, and they will all exclaim “Business is booming!”
The banks, overflowing with liquidity, are continuing to have very successful years, with hefty after tax profits; and their continuous programme of expansion in other areas of the country, testifies to their confidence in a government that has created an enabling environment that has made them a primary beneficiary.
These examples, just a microcosm, represent a government that delivers on its promises that it has translated into living reality. Never before has Guyana been blooming, the way that it is at the moment.
It is this national fact that deeply worries both parliamentary Opposition parties, and their cohorts.