The Myth
The public records say that the situation in Guyana is improving and administration officials toot their own horn with every house lot given out and every acre of rice produced. A favorite place to point for signs of improvement also is the national income of the country and how it breaks down according to each person. Ten years ago, the per capita income of Guyana, at current prices, was half of the US$1,200 that it is today. Those in charge tout this and the more favorable purchasing power parity as signs that, on average, people in Guyana are doing better than before. With per capita income up over 100 percent, the outsider would believe the myth that people in Guyana are living well and can afford to comfortably keep a roof over their heads, put food on the table and keep clothes on the backs of their children. This perception is often encouraged by the assertions of officials of international organizations who often claim that the macroeconomic policies of the administration are serving Guyanese well. Yet, the reality on the street, in the kitchen and in the market is not as rosy at it is made out to be.
Temptation
The typical assessment about quality of life examines issues like the number of people with access to safe drinking water, healthcare and good nutrition. The assessment also takes account of access to education, activities that facilitate healthy social interactions and life expectancy. The latter issue of life expectancy is very important and helps to determine the demographic trends and patterns of a country. The numerical measure of life in Guyana masks many of these details about living in the villages, in the cities and in the poorly lit and abusive homes across the country. The eyesores that are the unkempt streets and stagnant waterways of Georgetown, the capital city, are relevant too to the esteem of a nation and the health of its people. The stagnant waters breed mosquitoes and a possible assortment of other vectors that help to increase the health risk of the population. Many Guyanese, themselves, have opted to leave the country to make a living in other Caribbean states rather than deal with this and similar unpleasant situations.
Domestic Violence
While those factors remain important, the discourse about the quality of life in Guyana should start with the high percentage of unused labor and those who find themselves without an income. It must also take account of the condition of the roadways and the supply of electricity to residences and businesses across the country. According to statistics of the Bank of Guyana, nearly half of the labor force in Guyana does not work and the descriptors in the population report of the Statistical Bureau convey the impression that these bystanders consciously made the choice to stay out of the active labor force. These statistics do not acknowledge that the private sector has hardly been an engine of growth over the last 10 years and that the government has been load shedding its labor costs through layoffs and attrition. The percentage of unused labor is very high and the majority of those who do not earn an income are women. They make up 66 percent of the unused labor in the country. That mismatch places women at the mercy of men and at the forefront of the economic and social crisis in Guyana. Quite recently, Guyana has witnessed an alarming number of women become victims of domestic violence.
Meager Income
It is known from official data that half of the workers in Guyana earn the minimum wage of G$35,000 or less. This means that households with children and elderly people depend on this single small income to get by month after month. This meager income exposes Guyanese to exploitation and added health risks. According to existing data, more than half the Guyana population, 53 percent, could be in unsatisfactory living arrangements. This simply means that every other Guyanese is likely to be unhappy with his or her living arrangement and perhaps feels deprived of his or her privacy as a result.
The tight financial situation compounded by a housing shortage also means that about 20 percent of Guyanese end up living in a one-bedroom dwelling, at some point in time, with between four to 12 others. The place that Guyanese call home is not always as comfortable, safe and as hospitable as they would like it to be. Living under these circumstances hardly meets the definition of good quality of life.
Victimized
If they could avoid it, Guyanese would rather not speak about the electricity supply. But for them, unlike residents of other countries, the electricity situation plays an important role in determining the extent to which they can enjoy life. For over 30 years now, the electricity supply has been a constant thorn in the side of Guyanese. Guyanese are traumatized by the unreliable electricity supply and feel victimized by the poor customer service of the company. Some residents have gone to great lengths to get their pound of flesh by adopting the unhealthy, unsafe and illegal practice of pilfering electricity whenever they could. That behavior is helpful to no one. The administration has had plenty time, 17 of the 30 years, to fix this problem but has not. The failure of the administration to remedy this situation, especially in the urban population centers, makes it guilty of neglect and leaving Guyanese vulnerable to economic suffering.
Prayer
The infrastructure of roads and bridges add to the hassle of life in Guyana. Plenty money has been spent on rehabilitating roads, constructing new ones and erecting bridges. Yet, travelling on the streets of Guyana is not always a pleasant experience. Road accidents continue to be a source of worry. The condition of the roads does not help. In many instances, the roads are narrow, uneven, unpaved and congested with people, animals and potholes. This adds to the risk of travelling on the roads and forces passengers in speeding vehicles to say a prayer with their hearts in their hands.