One step forward and two steps backward under the PPP

Dear Editor, For every one step of development taken during the 22 year old leadership of the PPP/C we have taken two steps backwards. Let’s look at the facts: (1) out of 177 countries, Guyana is ranked 136 in terms of most corrupt; (2) Guyana is the 2nd most impoverished country in Latin America and the Caribbean, (3) Guyana has the highest incidence of suicide in the region and is ranked 121 out of 187 with the highest per capita suicide rates, (4) Guyana is ranked number 15 in per capita homicide rates in the world by the United Nations, (6) we are the drug trans-shipment capital of South America, (7) in terms of per capita income (this is the average salary earned by Guyanese we are the second poorest in CARICOM according to the World Bank and (8) Guyana has the highest incidence of brain drain in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the world; (according to the International Monetary Fund, approximately 80% of tertiary educated Guyanese leave Guyana annually). When you combine these issues and factor in police criminality, injustice, and inadequate public health and education services and limited job opportunities, one gets a better picture of how far behind Guyana is and the foxhole we have found ourselves in. Editor, I thought I should share these facts prior to voicing my concern and disgust regarding a pre-recorded interview, featuring Minister Irfaan Ali, during which he attempted to use capital expenditure as a yardstick to measure the care and concern the PPP/C Government has for Guyanese.  The Minister also went on to note Guyana’s development, insinuating that we are on par with the developed world, a lie even the most docile would be unable to comprehend.  On December 18, 2014, Minister of Housing and Water and Minister of Tourism Industry and Commerce (ag.) Irfaan Ali, appeared on a pre-recorded show titled Political Scope: Housing Perspectives 2014. During his interview, the Minister referenced capital expenditure during the 22 years the PPP/C has made up the Government and highlighted same in 2014 as an example of how much the Government cares for Guyanese and has invested to improve the lives of Guyanese.  Editor, there are a few issues with equating capital expenditure with “development” and care.  First, the money spent by the Government belongs to the people of Guyana, not the PPP/C; following this up is that much of the private investment we see are profits from the underground economy, primarily gold smuggling and drug trafficking. We all know that one of the easiest ways to launder money from drug trafficking is to invest in business opportunities, including concerts, casinos and hotels.  Second, most of the money invested came in the form of loans from the Inter-American Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, China Development Bank, World Bank etc. which means that Guyanese are saddled with paying back this debt for generations to come (think about it, our children and children’s children are unborn, yet they are already indebted) and third, the topic is economic growth/development, while a concern for us all is secondary to our concern with higher incomes and greater disposable incomes, personal and community safety, security, debt-free living, improved water and sanitation and self-governance. While showcasing his statistics, the Minster shamelessly went on a self-praise tirade, glorifying himself and the PP/C Government; for what, I asked myself.  First, the PPP/C has set Guyana back decades, given the massive corruption, moral decay, suicide rates and upward climbing brain drain.  With economic growth and Guyana being known internally as a major drug transshipment location has come a serious decline in law, order, social decency and under-education.  The economic growth the Minister so praises is not an extraordinary feat; in fact, we should be much better off in terms of income levels and security given all the money (taxes, development loans, private investors, etc.) available to this Government since 1992. I am most appalled that the Minister did not even once mention or thank all public servants and other professionals, who are the real heroes in our quest to advance the minds and prosperity of our people and nation. This gives insight into his thinking and feelings about the folks who toil on the margins daily; I am willing to bet the Minister that, nine tenths of public servants, if given an opportunity to leave Guyana or offered better paying and working conditions, will jump at the opportunity.  Note the Minister and PPP/C Government, without the masses there could be no economic progress.  In fact, economic progress is not some herculean feat, it is expected and sadly in a country of only approximately 750,000 persons we should have been much better off to date, considering all the investment finance available to the PPP/C post 1992. In fact, the issue is not economic progress at all, it is bad governance, corruption, the lack of justice, proliferation of crime and illicit trafficking in narcotics, moral decline and general insecurity felt by most if not all Guyanese that are the issues we are concerned about.  I found the Minister’s insinuations condescending, as if Guyanese are dunces.  Clearly, his strategy was an attempt to fool Guyanese into thinking the PPP/C Government’s record on capital expenditure indicates his Government has not underdeveloped Guyana significantly. Editor, to equate capital expenditure with development is like saying a family earns more money today than they did 22 years ago, so they’re better off.  Most Guyanese understand this is far from the truth. Increases, capital expenditure or household income does not reflect development, especially when the cost of living has also increased, the quality of life decreasing and the threat of injustice felt daily.  One must look closer at what the money was spent on, how the money was sourced (underground economy, loans, taxes, money laundering, irregular financial deals, kickbacks, etc.), the cost of accrued benefits, the relevance of projects financed (think the defunct Skeldon Sugar Factory, Berbice River Bridge, Marriot Hotel, the numerous faulty road works, etc.). James Carville, the once campaign strategist for Bill Clinton, coined the phrase, “the economy stupid”, a later variation reads “it’s the economy stupid.”  Well, the opposite is true for Guyana.  So I offer some advice to those who believe Guyanese are only concerned about the economy or that we are better off as a people, it is not the economy stupid. Mike Archer