One month later…
Jan 04, 2017 , http://www.kaieteurnewsonline..../04/one-month-later/
One month ago, the President was reported to be ruling out any Cabinet changes. He was said to have felt confident going into 2017 with the same team. The Chronicle even headlined their version of the President’s comments as meaning there will be no Cabinet reshuffle.
What a difference a month makes. There has been a minor reshuffle, involving three Ministers. The most significant was the switching in portfolio of the Health Minister to the inconsequential Ministry of Social Cohesion. But instead of elevating the junior Minister of Health as the substantive Minister, the health portfolio has been given to the Minister of Social Protection. The Minister of Social Cohesion will now head over to the Ministry of Social Protection.
This three-way switch was not predictable one month ago. So what could have changed things since then?
First, there was the calamitous Budget, the implications of which finally began to register on citizens. There is a real fear that the Budget measures which were announced will erode the living standards of Guyanese.
Second, the industrial relations scenario deteriorated. Wales Estate was expected to have been closed at the end of 2016. Sugar production, having received adverse signals all year, fell to its lowest in 25 years. It is not likely to recover. GPL workers had to withdraw their labour in order to force the corporation’s hands. Blackouts began to increase.
Third, the Homestretch Development Inc. scandal exploded in the government’s face. The Auditor General announced that an audit will commence into the expenditure at Durban Park. A number of questions still remain unanswered, however, about that project and why a private company was established. The company owes a number of persons and the government has made it clear that it will only honour part of those debts.
Fourth, the crime situation did not improve. It continues to reach frightening proportions.
Fifth, it was announced that two government Ministers were awarded scholarships to pursue studies while on the job as Ministers. There were criticisms of this development, mainly on the grounds that the government was becoming too self-serving.
Sixth, apart from the increases announced in the Budget, consumers now have to pay more to cross the Demerara Harbour Bridge and there has also been an increase in the security taxes at the country’s airports.
The government and the President in particular took a pummeling as a result of these and other developments. A Stabroek News editorial wondered why there could not even be a modicum of a reshuffled Cabinet. The letter pages frequently had letters reminding the President that the buck stopped with him and, at other times, being critical of his leadership. The President’s popularity rating, from the anecdotal evidence, was slipping badly.
The government’s public relations is a disaster primarily because there are too many units dealing with providing information and political propaganda. The whole arrangement is a confusing one that is not allowing the government to respond effectively. The Department of Public Information is trying its best but the lines of authority are being crossed because there are other units which are doing the same work and there is no coordination in trouble-shooting.
The President most likely decided that he had to do something. It is clear that there is an attempt to deflect attention from the problems that are facing the government. After lathering the society with talk about goodwill, the government chose the Season of Goodwill to cancel the lease to Red House. Then there followed the announced minor “adjustments” to Cabinet.
These developments have brought any goodwill to the government. The people of Guyana are difficult to please. They are not satisfied with what is taking place. What has been done is not enough for them. They are complaining that the government took too long to reclaim Red House and they are complaining that the Cabinet changes are cosmetic.
The government has to find a more effective way of getting its message across. It has to improve its public relations. If it cannot do this, no amount of Cabinet reshuffling or reclaiming of property will enhance its popularity rating.
