Twenty-two years and still no signs of any real progress
By Dominic Gaskin Guyanese are understandably confused by claims made by the ruling PPP-C Government of great progress that has been achieved since it came to power in 1992. Given what is so obvious to even the most casual observer, one is forced to wonder just how bad things must have been in 1992 in order for two decades of great progress to have brought us to our current state. More objective thinkers will make allowances for the many advances that have occurred globally during this period and trickled down to Guyana, which do not represent any real progress on our part.
â Dominic Gaskin
Certainly there are many more cars on the road, many more houses, housing schemes, shops and consumer products. Hundreds of large buildings have been constructed, presumably for the purpose of operating businesses. Private schools are popping up all over, and private health care operators have expanded their presence. There are more daily newspapers to choose from, more television channels and radio stations. Our telephone, water and electricity services have improved. Many of our public sector employees are more polite today than they were twenty years ago and routine matters are being dealt with faster than before. Undoubtedly there have been improvements in certain areas, our economy has grown and more money is being spent all around. Progress, however, requires movement in a particular direction towards a chosen destination, and great progress requires that this movement takes place in good time. Additionally, we are now part of a more integrated global community which means that our rate of progress must also be measured relative to that of other countries in order to know how well we are doing. Unfortunately we are not doing very well. Short-term thinking, corruption and lawlessness have prevented us from translating economic growth into economic development and we are left with an illusion of progress, which the PPP-C is keen to present as a great advancement. The rapid increase in the amount of vehicles on our roads cannot be considered an indication of progress when so many of these vehicles are ten to fifteen years old at the time of importation; when so many of the persons driving them have paid bribes to obtain their driving licences; when insurance coverage is ridiculously low; when there is such poor implementation of our traffic regulations; when our road network has not significantly expanded in twenty years; when our roads are so poorly maintained; when our public transportation system is so primitive; and, above all, when there seems to be no plan in place for managing long-term traffic increase. More shops selling a wider variety of products cannot be considered an indication of progress when so little of what we consume is of local origin; when so much of what is sold is of sub-standard quality or adorned with fake brand names; and when customer service remains at sub-mediocre levels; The opening of new housing schemes cannot be considered an indication of progress when so many persons are being made to pay for house lots in areas with inadequate utilities and physical infrastructure; when there are no arrangements in place for solid waste disposal; when there are no community maintenance programmes in place; when these housing schemes are remote from areas of economic activity; when there are no provisions for recreational activities; and, above all, when applications are ignored for years until personal interventions take place or the applicant grovels before some high-ranking official. The highly-visible increase in higher than normal buildings being constructed all over the place cannot be considered an indication of progress when there is insufficient economic activity to justify many of these investments; when surrounding communities are negatively impacted by the construction and use of these properties; when by-laws are routinely disregarded; and when safety issues associated with larger structures are not being properly addressed. More and more private schools and health facilities cannot be considered indications of progress when the majority of the population cannot afford private education and private health care; when our public schools and hospitals are underperforming; and when a serious geographic divide still exists in the provision of education and health care in Guyana today. An expanded media presence cannot be considered an indication of progress when there is such appalling abuse of the state media by the government; when previously unavailable radio licences are suddenly and arbitrarily handed out to friends and relatives of the ruling party by an outgoing President; when a PPP-C Government Member of Parliament and former cabinet member is appointed as Chairperson of the Broadcast Authority set up to regulate the broadcasting industry; when private media houses friendly to the PPP-C are subsidized by means of discriminatory government advertising; when Presidents routinely attack and insult media houses seen to be critical of the Government; and when a regional capital has been deliberately deprived of its own television station for decades. Improved reliability in the supply of electricity cannot be considered an indication of progress when this service is prohibitively expensive for the average Guyanese; when so many persons (rich and poor) are engaged in electricity theft; when so many communities across Guyana are still without any supply of electricity whatsoever; when GPL still has to be heavily subsidized with tax-payer dollars each year; and when renewable energy generation has still not become a reality after almost fifty years of independence. Development of a country does not take place randomly or without strong leadership. The PPP-C is simply marking time in office and has nowhere to take this country. It has had more than enough time to demonstrate a capacity to do so, but seems content to fill the pockets of a chosen few while blaming its critics for its failure to take Guyana forward. As everyone now knows, there are people in faraway countries importing our logs. There are also people importing our gold and our bauxite. These raw materials are being imported because those people have figured out how to convert them into more valuable forms or products in order to make a profit. Surely it is not beyond us as a nation to find ways to do what others are doing and enjoy a better return on our abundant raw materials? The AFC is committed to long-term development and will target all sectors capable of attracting export earnings with a seriousness and sincerity that has so far eluded this government. An AFC Government will not have the luxury of failing and still being reelected as has the PPP-C for all these years. Hopefully the next elections will mark the beginning of a new era of smart voting, where the people of Guyana finally give ethnic voting the boot and start voting for real development and progress.
