Dear Editor,
I smile wryly when I see the numerous explanations by the government and the many letters written by the pseudo-ghost writers adamantly declaring that VAT is not responsible for the spiraling cost of living.
‘It’s part of an international phenomenon of higher prices for goods and services’, as stated by two ministers in the Chronicle (December 6, 2007) .They mentioned the rising cost of fuel as one reason. And maybe they are right! But hold on a second. Wasn’t that what occurred back in 1974 when the rising fuel prices caused by OPEC wiped out all the profits that were earned by the PNC from the rice, sugar and bauxite exports? But I am not hearing the government making that analogy.
With those profits schools were built, in fact education was made free from nursery to university; even the president benefited from the PNC’s efforts. A tremendous effort was made to bring home qualified Guyanese from overseas and to send young Guyanese on scholarships. Health was free and new highways were built. There was the beginning of the NIS, which everyone benefits from.
After that, unfortunately, the funding for the hydro-electric power at Mahdia was denied, President Reagan left Guyana out of the CBI after President Burnham refused to back the Grenada invasion. And the PNC also faced arson in the sugar fields.
The PNC did not have VAT to use as an excuse either.
Yours faithfully,
Roger Moore
