Dear Editor,
If one grew up in the 1970s Guyana is still the country of greatest unfulfilled potential in the Caribbean. I am not speaking about our un-mined minerals. I am speaking about the continuous haemorrhage of human resources and the palpable lack of order in relation to the most mundane issues which our Caribbean brothers and sisters take for granted. Take the stray dog nuisance or cows roving down Vlissengen Road one block north of the Office of the President at 1 pm on Wednesday. You must ask why. The answer is either indiscipline or a patent lack of political will. Guyana must be the only Caricom country with unfettered human squatting and its attendant disorder.
Since President Obama is being severely judged on his leadership after two years, how should we judge eighteen years – or 11 years in office for that matter? If President Hoyte or for that matter Burnham had had the cushion of the ‘runnings’ money which now circulates, those administrations may not have been characterized by the mismanagement of which they have been accused. In 1992 I wanted to move away from Burnham to a society of discipline, fairness and professionalism.
The statements recently by the Minister of Human Services represent a contradiction of no mean order. Both those statements and the subsequent resignation of the Head of Child Services are a clear indication of two facts. The failures of the state in responding adequately to Neesa Gopaul’s now much publicized problems cannot be the responsibility of the Head of Child Services alone. What is worse is that this situation could be repeated tomorrow because the government is only interested in superficial solutions. A set of children was found living in a shack at Linden after their mother had been murdered. No one has taken blame or has been blamed for this. Second, I want the Minister to observe her ministry’s precincts where there are scores of drug addicts. The Minister has been there for four years.
On the other hand, when you work as a professional in intersectoral circumstances and you take blame for outcomes it imbues no confidence in the colleagues you leave behind. As a consequence you get more unprofessional conduct. The Gopaul issue demands a broad-based investigation to see how agencies lack the capacity to collaborate. The few social workers cannot be everywhere at all times. Within that construct, the operation of these professionals cannot be second guessed or micro-managed by politicians.
In closing I want to say the example of the Skeldon sugar factory debacle is characteristic of the unsuccessful involvement of government in business as during the PNC tenure. No amount of firing sugar industry executives will solve the problem of a poor decision which was not premised on an effective business plan.
Again observing Obama’s current challenges and the punishment he will receive in upcoming US Congressional elections will help to demonstrate the immaturity of our democracy. Its non-existent pillars will be demonstrated as we go to the polls in 2011 and fail to have the current regime accountable.
Yours faithfully,
Ralph Benjamin
