Juan Bautista Alberdi, the 19th century Argentine liberal intellectual, based a fair bit of his thinking on the political and economic development of Argentina on the dictum, “to govern is to populate.” In this respect, his argument was that to build Argentina, it was necessary to attract both foreign capital and immigrants, as in the United States. Thus, between 1880 and 1929, Argentina, riding on the back of immigration from Europe and the development of an economy based on large scale export-oriented agriculture, rose to become one of the world’s ten richest countries.
Guyana, while not as vast a land as either Argentina or the USA, badly needs a demographic policy to underwrite our development strategy, even if it is not yet clear to all what the latter may be. With negative population growth and the continuing migration of skills and people, in addition to the fact that most of our people live on the narrow, low-lying coastal strip, we obviously lack the critical mass to develop fully the rich potential of our relatively huge and under-populated hinterland.
Even as we become more aware of the threat to our coast from climate change and an unmanageable rise in sea level, there are also fears in some quarters that we are about to be flooded from the south by waves of Brazilians flowing across the Takutu. In the latter respect, rather than react with suspicion and dread, we should seek to put systems in place, not to prevent an influx of immigrants, but to manage their incorporation into our society and economy to take proper advantage of the positive entrepreneurial and developmental energies that immigration can unleash.
The idea of populating to govern obviously has relevance for us in Guyana, but we also have to find ways to keep our people. So, even as we prepare for the inevitability of change, we reiterate that we need to work together, across divisions of class, race and creed to move the country forward, to build democracy, peace, justice and equitable development.
Indeed, democracy and development in any country must be seen as complementary, mutually dependent and mutually reinforcing goals, to be pursued not by government alone, but by government acting in partnership with the private sector, labour and civil society. In Guyana, perhaps because of and not in spite of the smallness of our population, the pursuit of such a partnership should be seen as the overarching goal, for one would think that the smaller the populace, the greater the chances of success.
As we all know, however, the vision of harmonious development in our bountiful, but as yet unfulfilled country remains elusive. We therefore need to recognize and agree on some basic principles.
Government should be the source of stability and security, the upholder of the rule of law, the provider of the legal and institutional framework for investment and commerce, the provider of efficient public services and the enabler of an environment conducive to growth, wealth creation and development.
The private sector should be the source of financing, technological ingenuity, creative innovation and entrepreneurial energy. At the same time, it has to realize that it’s not just about the profit line and that corporate social responsibility should not just be a slogan or limited to a few large companies. Wealth creation has to benefit all and, in this respect, the private sector has to contribute to creating jobs, opportunities and social well-being. For, ultimately, companies need people to prosper, if they are to sell their goods.
The labour unions, quite correctly, are concerned with the rights of the workers, especially in an economy in which real wages are not keeping pace with inflation and the rising cost of living. But workers also have to recognize that, in labour-dependent industries, they share the responsibility for enhancing efficiency and increasing production and productivity. In no sector, can workers afford to kill the goose that lays the golden egg, though that is not to say that they should be exploited and condemned to live in poverty.
Civil society is plain and simple, the conscience of the nation, a somewhat amorphous entity striving for form, which when it succeeds in reaching the parts other sectors cannot reach, can help to provide the social cohesion that divided societies such as ours so desperately need. But this is the toughest area of all, for it requires an energy and level of commitment that do not always appear to lead directly to results. No power or wealth at stake here, only the more intangible greater good of the nation.
These principles are not exhaustive or mutually exclusive. But if we can all agree on the need for a new social contract and a shared vision of development, based on consensus, inclusiveness and buy-in, perhaps we will be more optimistic about the future and be able to face whatever changes lie in wait with greater confidence.
