Change will only come when the people are respected by the PPP
Dear Editor,
As 2014 rolls out, too many Guyanese find themselves in their worst cost of living crisis since 1987. Not since the horrible 80’s have the working class struggled this much to make ends meet.
If one is to go around the country in the villages and in urban areas, people are saying that they are struggling to fund their weekly food bills. If people who have middle level jobs in the system are faced with this cost of living crisis; can you imagine what is the reality for the people in Plastic City, Toppoo, Sophia, Pigeon Island?
Surely we can do better as a country in light of the constant boast of the “biggest budget ever”.
There is no doubt that Guyana has established a track record as being a loyal student of the IMF by dogmatically trying to achieve its broad monetary and fiscal policy measures such as containing inflation, safeguarding our international reserves and fiscal consolidation. There is no doubt that the PPP did much work to secure a situation where we are no longer borrowing to pay debt. There is no doubt we have new hospitals, schools, roads and bridges, etc. But what about the direct economic well-being of the people?
Economic growth happened for the last several years Mr. Editor but it begs the question -for whom? In the latest IMF report they warned that we need to “promote more inclusive growth”. The IMF in that December 2013 Report highlighted Guyana’s inability to meet “unmet development needs”. Including in these unmet needs is the persistent levels of human under-development with a social assistance system that rewards the rich and penalizes the poor.
Can you imagine Mr. Editor that we procure 80 percent of the medical supplies of this nation from one person to the tune of some G$4 billion? Then there is that case of a skin cream being purchased at G$1,900 a tube on behalf of the poor but the same cream is available for the rich at under G$200 for those who do not need the state system.
The crux of the matter is that an increasing number of citizens cannot afford this PPP Government; they are certainly too high maintenance an entity. So how do we the people influence an alternative spending plan in 2014?
First off it is refreshing to know even the IMF is calling for “a more even distribution of the benefit from economic growth” and this must be the signal to apply necessary pressure to achieve exactly this. We cannot continue to sing “Let us co-operate for Guyana…” when according to a financial model that I built, the top nine (9) business families have an estimated wealth of over G$252 billion and growing at rate of G$479,000 EVERY HOUR. After TAXES (remember VAT) and NIS are deducted, the majority of Guyanese do not take home such sums of cash IN A YEAR.
So there is no need for anyone, especially His Excellency the President, to even mention “let us work together”, when he sits on top of a system that actively provide ammunition for this war – economic inequality. Any righteous and politically conscious President would want to address the causation of the war rather than the effect of the war and do something tangible about it. Will 2014 find President Ramotar examining this issue in detail or will we have more of –”it is them not me” syndrome?
I am an eternal optimist and if ever, we should enter a New Year full of optimism, it is 2014. We should be optimistic that President Ramotar will change his wayward economic, political and social public policies to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. Isn’t this what the Founder Leader of the PPP, Dr. Jagan, dedicated his life towards – the well-being of all his people?
I want to use this opportunity to wish the nation all the best for 2014 and call on the majority opposition to yield not to PPP until the local government elections are held and the commission and tribunals especially the Public Procurement Commission and the Public Service Appellant Tribunal are constituted. Failure to achieve these basic milestones will not be politically providential for the opposition.
To the people of Guyana especially the working class the only path to economic emancipation is through greater militancy even if it means street action until the PPP values your labour. In light of this economic genocide being unleashed on the working class by the PPP, financial prudence is an essential tool for surviving 2014 (spend your money carefully on items that will elevate your health and mental well-being and at places of business that best support your cause).
The year 2014 must be the year that the boldest acts of civil disobedience must manifest itself similar to what Gandhi and King promoted; non-violence but firmly, resolutely, and peacefully. Change will only come when the people are respected by the PPP and those “biggest budget ever” serve as a policy document that stop this economic marginalization of the working class.
I leave you with the wisdom of Con***ius which states that “to know what is right and not do it, is the worst cowardice”. Happy New Year to one and all!
LIVING IN THE PRESENT MOMENT IS THE ROOT OF HAPPINESS
Sasenarine Singh
