Dear Editor,
I would like to offer a brief recap of the strategies played out by the Peoples’ National Congress and the People’s Progressive Party which individually and collectively, have led to two major development setbacks for Guyana.
Both groups have undermined Guyana and have lost the trust not only of their support base but of a sizeable portion of the Guyanese population. Population here refers to Guyanese living in and outside Guyana.
PNC
– Control of the economy by nationalizing key productive and service sectors (this eventually led to the collapse of Guyana’s economy)
– Enlarging the public sector and making public servants fearful of and dependent on the PNC controlled government
– Cultivating a highly educated society and channelling them into a life of service in the public sector
– Rigging national elections
– Where and when necessary using violence to intimidate and suppress
PPP
– Controlling key economic sectors such as the telecommunications and print and electronic media by: (a) privatizing the economy and channelling investments to sectors that are dominated by party supporters; (b) aligning with the elite private sector and constantly swinging carrots in the form of investments and investment opportunities their way; and (c) controlling the land and having primary access to financial capital, and restricting the bargaining power of the labour force. Essentially where the PNC tried state control the PPP is trying political control ‒ that is members, friends and close associates of the party own major national economic assets.
– Facilitating social, economic divisions and controlling key service sectors such as the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force, trade unions and public service administration
– Destabilizing the University of Guyana and key municipal and local government organs to justify arbitrary actions that result in PPP control or majority influence in decision-making and budgetary allocations.
– Limiting development opportunities for groups and constituencies that do not support the PPP
Taken collectively PNC and PPP misrule and underdevelopment of Guyana not only has present consequences but has likely set our development back beyond the total number of years both parties have unfortunately led Guyana.
Development isn’t second-hand cars, buses, mortgages (read indebtedness) to build houses and the proliferation of laundered money.
Development is the collective intellectual capacity of a country or group of people. History has taught us that this can only be nurtured through rigorous and sound education and the acquisition of complementary skills such as those learned through the arts.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)