Dear Editor,
When Stabroek News published instant polling information made available by CADRES showing the PPP with 38% support, the PNC with 31% and the AFC with 25%, the government’s media spinners and lackeys jumped on it and started ridiculing and questioning the numbers, the organization and even slammed your newspaper.
As the dust settled, another aspect of the poll eventually emerged showing that the PPP government under President Bharrat Jagdeo has done well in the area of infrastructural development, even as it lagged way behind in tackling corruption, crime and unemployment.
Not quite surprisingly, government’s chief media spinner, Dr. Prem Misir, ignored previous questions about CADRES and latched on to the organization’s report on the government’s commendable performance in the area of infrastructural development. In his piece to the Guyana Chronicle (June 13), “President Jagdeo on the front lines,” he regurgitated figures from past reports, including from the World Bank, showing how well the government handled the economy. Suddenly CADRES is a believable source.
But Editor, let me state very bluntly that while some have been hoodwinked into believing there was economic growth or infrastructural development, the truth is, most of the infrastructural development works were basic works that needed to be done and unless government went above and beyond these routine activities, it does not deserve any sort of commendation.
It is like a school kid attending school every day and looking forward to be commended for attending school every day or engaging in basic or routine school activities, whereas the real commendation awaits his or her above normal performance at critical examinations or tests. The Jagdeo administration is yet to turn in above normal performance in the area of accelerated economic development given Guyana’s potential, and its cheerleaders are content to make the loudest noise each time this almost 18-year old government makes one baby step when it should have been making sprightly leaps and bounds normally associated with youth.
I also wish to point out that much of the infrastructural development works were accomplished based on foreign loans and or grants that would require the government to not only repay the loans, but to keep showing tangible evidence of developmental works in order to keep receiving fresh developmental loans. (By the way, how much in fresh loans have we borrowed since President Jagdeo took office?)
In short, the government had no choice but to show developmental works so let us not get carried away with the CADRES report that shows Guyanese who were surveyed saying the government has done well or is better than any other in the area of development.
If I set out on a journey from Timehri to Georgetown, and I have a choice of either walking, riding a bike, riding a donkey cart or driving a car, there is a greater likelihood that if I choose to drive I would get there much faster. Not that the other means of getting there would not help me, but the speed and time are not the same. Some people are literally applauding the government for choosing to take the donkey cart as a means to get to its destination.
Before I close let me note that Dr. Misir’s piece also never mentioned anything about the other three areas of grave concern to Guyanese, according to the CADRES poll: crime, corruption and unemployment. Most of the crimes, especially robbery and theft, being committed in society today could arguably be linked to Guyana’s socioeconomic situation. Corruption is at an all-time high, with government employees on several levels clearly caught in the vice, and it does not help the government’s case of boasting about infrastructural development when several such projects have had serious red flags raised over the quality of workmanship.
That’s money being wasted and which taxpayers must repay. And unemployment is one reason why youths are engaging in anti-social activities or fleeing to greener pastures.
And unless the Guyana economy, which has been in a state of perpetual funk for decades, experiences a volcanic-type eruption in sustained growth development leading to major job creation and massive income generation, we are going to continue reading these sophomoric reports about economic growth of 3% or 4%, but without understanding that such growth is not based on previous or current high standards of performance, like that of tiny Barbados. When you’re operating from a negative position for decades, 3% or 4% growth should be used as a gauge, not necessarily to throw a party, or else we could wind up having street fetes over ‘stunted growth’.
LCDS, meanwhile, continues to await a miraculous intervention to determine whether it will live, let alone walk and make things happen.
If the majority, or even a significant number, of Guyanese believe the President is the best person for the economy, then we can wrap up the nation’s future in brown paper, tie it with wire rope and place it in the ocean. Chances are it may float or it may sink, but who cares, it doesn’t make a difference!
Yours faithfully,
Emile Mervin,
Queens, New York
