The newly-elected A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government since it took office last May, has been making quite a number of unpopular decisions as it tries to get its feet firmer on the governance in this country. Almost every week, it’s another unpopular decision. One is therefore forced to ask if it’s a case of Government functionaries giving little or no thought as it relates to the policy direction of the administration, or is it a case that they just do not care about how these decisions will affect the populace now that they are at the helm of Government.

For example, amid the rising crime rate, not long after he was appointed Government’s point man on national security, Minister Khemraj Ramjattan took a decision to enforce a 2am curfew for bars and night clubs. This of course did not go down well with partygoers and sections of the business community.Ramjattan’sjustification for this move was that crime would be reduced.

We are all well aware that crime in Guyana has taken on new dimensions and hence, requires modern, strategic thinking and effective policy decisions matched by the necessary resources to confront it. Certainly closing bars at 2 am will definitely not solve the problem. To date, neither the Minister nor his Government have come up with a concrete plan to address the various forms of criminality affecting citizens of this country even though they had boasted on the campaign trail of having an effective national security plan.

Also, in preparation of the 2015 budget, the Government signaled its intention to discontinue the $10,000 voucher programme launched under the previous Government. It’s justification for this move was that this programme was designed by the PPP to win votes at the last elections. A promise was then made by the Government that instead of continuing theprogramme, it would increase the Uniform Voucher Allowance given to students. To the nation’s disappointment, when the budget was finally presented in the National Assembly, it was confirmed that a meager $500 was added to the $1500 uniform allowance that was already there, bringing the total sum to $2000. Every parent knows that $2000 cannot meet the basic uniform needs of a student.

It should be noted too that the Administration has managed to fire thousands of workers from the public service and within Government’s employ. Many of them coincidentally or not have been East Indians and Amerindians who supported the PPP/C. They have done so at a time when thousands of young persons are looking for employment across the country.

However, one of the most unpopular decisions thus far, is to imposeregional flags. The move to assign flags to every administrative region across the country has not settled well all of the regional leaders some of whom have already rejected the plan.

No other than former President and Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo has slammed the move and pointed out that it could be dangerous for Guyana as it could put the country’s sovereignty at risk and reinforce Venezuela’s attempts to win over the Essequibo through encouraging secessionist tendencies.

There are countless other unpopular decisions made since the APNU/AFC government took office three months ago, but space in this column is not enough to detail them. What is even worse is that most, if not all of the decisions so far have been imposed on the population without any proper consultation being done.

In any democratic society, one expects the Government to consult with the citizenry, especially those aspects of the population that will be affected one way or another. The Government has not done so and as such, risks failing the people.