Some of these accomplishments were misleading
May 23, 2017 , http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....nts-were-misleading/
Dear Editor,
They say that, “one eye man is king in blind man’s country.” That fact was recently emboldened when the Coalition spent their millions to send out their list of accomplishments. Their list was in all the daily newspapers and online. The dearth of foresight and leadership in the PR department of this government was also very visible in this latest saga.
Imagine the government is touting the fact that they cleaned drains and hosted a Caricom Summit as some of the things that they did over the last two years and for which they should be praised.
This petty behaviour of the Granger administration is not new. The PPP was noted for engaging in the same level of governmental ignorance. Guyana has dwindled down to such a politically-anemic laughing stock, that our politicians say and do anything and get away with it. Since when can a government list the work that they are paid to do and hold them up as trophies for which they want to be applauded for?
Since this government took over and indeed before, the unemployment rate among the young people stands at a staggering 40%. Businesses are rapidly closing their doors. The exodus of our best and brightest minds has not abated. In addition, our population continues to be depleted, with the constant exodus of our human capital. There have been zero new factories and companies moving to set up shop in Guyana. Additionally, sugar factories are being shut down. Rice millers and producers are going out of business. The maiden income of the Guyanese workers has decreased, while taxes on their every-day, household supplies have gone up.
Education is now being taxed and the illegal parking meter project has not been scrapped, rather, it is being renegotiated. If the government wants things to be praiseworthy of, they should show the Guyanese people what Guyana is doing on the world stage. Are more people coming to the country as tourists and vacationers? If so, in what amount? Is Guyana competing with the fruits and vegetable producers of the world? If so, how is that positively affecting our GDP? For those wishing to set up businesses here, has the Government reduced the red-tape that allows for corruption and bribery? If not, why?
Has the Government jailed or fired any of the corrupt Ministers and employees in their rank? (This would show unequivocally that the new administration is different from the old ‘corrupt’ one). How has the government allowed for an expansion in the activities of the private sector? If the government really wants to look good, it must show what it did to facilitate the growth and development of the country. Is the private sector happy with the performance of the Government? If not, why? The government cannot simply highlight what it did as part of its established governmental mandate and flaunt it as progress.
But I am not the least surprised at this latest move. Our politicians have failed us badly. Their work is so poorly executed that they honestly think that highlighting work that they are paid and expected to do, is worthy of our praise. Next we will hear of their accomplishments in the Sussex St. Bond that they are renting. Or the casino they are adding on to the cost of the crumbling Marriott. Or the billions in drugs they bought (that were expired). Or the pay raise they gave themselves. Or the billions they settled in unfounded lawsuits. Editor, I was looking for them to mention the Trump-like fence they are building around the Office of the Presidency. …Maybe next year.
Dr. Vishnu Bandhu
