Introduction:
A recent report stated that a prisoner costs the state approximately $34,000 per month which is basically what many public servants make a month to take care of their entire family. This is the same as a teacher’s salary and who is required to prepare our children for tomorrow’s world. Are we saying these key professionals are equal to a prisoner? We see great commercials every day on the state run television about documents for us to read about programmes proposed by the government. The Guyana Lotto commercial states that you have worked hard all week but at the end of it all you have no money, therefore you should buy a lotto ticket. It is a profound commercial because this is true for so many of our citizens.
We must fight for policies that open up new markets to support good Guyanese jobs. One of the most well known products is blackout. Overseas Guyanese returning home are most welcome by this known quantity. The economic impacts to businesses are severe. Basic services are curtailed such as water and security. It makes business harder and more expensive. Many lose customers and the end of the day profits. We must deliver new realistic programmes today that create jobs and increase opportunities for all of us.
Fixing procurements:
Many contractors are complaining that the “bribe” system we all know about is now worse. It is no longer their choice to pay something under the table, but it is a requirement. We must create transparency in the procurement process. We must require the Parliament to develop a strategy for determining when contracting makes sense, rather than continually handing off governmental jobs to well-connected companies. We need the government to create the transparency and accountability needed for good governance. Prosecution of any abuses committed by contractors and government officials must be implemented. We must restore honesty, openness, and commonsense to procurement. Our nation will realize savings by reducing the corruption and cost overruns that have become all too routine in contracting. Wasteful spending is out of control. The current administration has abused its power by handing out contracts without true competition to its politically connected friends and supporters. These abuses cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year.
Fixing the jobs issues:
Invest in a Clean Energy Economy and create 100,000 new green jobs: If this could have been what you heard coming out of the President’s mouth, each of us would have supported his programmes. We must invest money over the next few years to advance and promote development of renewable energy. This last week after many years of planning, the President said that the Hope Beach Wind Power project is not feasible. Without solving our energy problems, Guyana will continue to be left behind. The PPP Administration has failed miserably in developing a viable energy programme for our nation. We all pay the price every day with the high cost of electricity and fuel prices. One would think that this programme would be given higher priority than the President running around the world talking about Carbon Credits. Investing in energy solutions will bring new industries and in doing so – jobs
In addition, the minimum wage must be increased and a programme implemented to enforce compliance. The tax threshold should also be raised to $75,000 where no one will pay taxes if they make that or less. Wages remains flat while cost of living is on the rise.
Fixing farming:
Farmers are being squeezed. We need a strong safety net for family farmers. We need to fight for farm programmes that provide family farmers with stability and predictability. In addition, farmers must get financial help for organic farming and the establishment of greenhouses. It is important to encourage young people to become farmers. A programme to identify and train the next generation of farmers is needed to include tax incentives to make it easier for new farmers to afford their first farm. The AFC has proposed a Land for Youth programme that must be implemented as part of a broader farming programme.
Conclusion:
I strongly believe that the President has swayed away from what is important to our economy. One wonders why we have such high levels of inflation. How is it that we have such a wide spread between savings and lending rates, where is the excess liquidity coming from? Are we trading off inflation through the use of monetary policies, well it’s not working.
Globalization currents, markets and technology are driving economic development the world over. What new realistic strategies have we adumbrated recently? Skeldon factory, seed paddy plant in Berbice, Berbice bridge, these are all good edifices but are they really the technology we require to consolidate economic development. We need to be employing technologies which have the potential to raise our productive capacities beyond price inflation. When one talks of “real growth” we are talking about sustained economic development. In other words, what we gain from productivity increases is greater than the cost. So are we in a position to say that over the next three to five years that we will see real growth in GDP that is, “creating jobs and generating incomes”?
Until next time “Roop” peter.ramsaroop@gmail.com
