This country’s poor survive mostly on remittances

DEAR EDITOR, It is very frightening to even think that despite the high levels of poverty in Guyana, many in the PPP regime are of the view that poverty alleviation is possible if the tens of thousands who are poor have ambition, work hard, and are determined to succeed. They have completely ignored or have totally forgotten the critical role of the State where human, social and economic development is concerned. These charlatans at Freedom House do not seem to understand that poverty has resulted in the lack of good paying jobs. Many who supposedly obtain their wealth through corruption and the use of state resources for personal benefits are empowered to postulate this ludicrous notion because, according to them, they dreamt big and worked hard. Not true! What is even more dangerous is the fact that those who once lived in poverty or in a poor community are perpetuating this narrow-minded perspective and misguided solution, when the most difficult thing some of them have ever done is to be appointed ministers or to other senior positions in the government. The idea that people are poor because they do not work hard enough is absurd. One does not get rich by just working hard without the means to realize their full potential. We do not deny that hard work is crucial to success, but we must agree and appreciate that it is not the panacea. In Guyana, people cannot rid themselves of poverty without the right opportunities and support from the government, which has marginalized a large section of the population. Only relatives and friends of the PPP cabal and those with political contacts will have the opportunity to become rich. A thorough knowledge and understanding of poverty is imperative to rid those in the PPP regime of this myopic view. In 2001, the United Nations Economic and Social Council described poverty as a “human condition characterized by the sustained or chronic deprivation of the resources, capabilities, choices, security, and power necessary for the enjoyment of an adequate standard of living and other civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights.” The World Bank and several other international financial institutions have explained that poor people are unable to provide shelter; they are sick and unable to purchase medicine, they lack the power to negotiate, they are without a job and their children do not attend school regularly, and when they do, it is irregular and thereby affects the quality of their output in education. Does this sound like the poor in Guyana? It is time for the Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal to realize that they must facilitate the necessary institutions and social arrangements needed to provide the poor and the powerless with equal opportunities for their advancement. Despite the unprecedented increases in overall wealth for those in the PPP, the vast majority of Guyanese have remained poor, and depend on remittances from the diaspora to survive. This uncaring minority regime’s obligation to the poor is to create opportunities and institute social-protection initiatives for them to have greater access in order to improve their livelihood. Another important fact for the PPP to consider is that poverty also is the result of inequality between men and women. Although women make up more than half of Guyana’s population, their participation in decision-making processes is very low and inexplicably considered less important. According to The European Anti-Poverty Network, “the least unequal societies … tend to have the lowest levels of poverty. This is primarily because these governments choose to give priority to ensuring adequate minimum income levels and ensuring good access to services, through the social protection system and through guaranteeing minimum wage levels. They are usually the most effective at redistributing wealth through the tax and other systems.” However, this is not the case in Guyana, where the PPP kleptocrats have taken every penny and every property they can get their hands on for themselves. Under the PPP regime, the institutions of the State have not provided the poor, with equitable access to State resources and opportunities for self-determination. They have not ensured the removal of the major factors that have maintained poverty, poor economic opportunities, and systematic social deprivation. The PPP regime needs to stop making false statements that people are poor because they do not work hard. If they are honest, then they should accept the fact that people who are poor do not have the same opportunities as those in the middle and upper echelons of the PPP. If hard work and ambition are what really get people out of poverty, then Guyana’s poverty rate would have been close to zero, because most Guyanese are hard-working. As decent citizens, let’s use our collective power to ensure that the unrighteous and corrupt cabal provides real opportunities for economic empowerment and self-determination for the poor. Derrick Arjune Asha Balbachan Rohit Misir Harish Singh Chandra Deolall Asquith Rose Vincent Nauth Allison Rutherford Devita Khan Dr. Reginald Watkins Donna Mathoo Noel Moses Vicki Rampersaud Dr. Merle Spenser-Marks