Dear Editor,
Opposition leader, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger issued two calls at the beginning of the New Year, which I consider to be very much in the nation’s interest and which should attract debate and discussion among Guyanese residing both inside and outside Guyana. The first was that this should be Guyana’s ‘Year for Workers,’ when our working people should be able to look forward to a good life, living in safety, working for a living wage, enjoying adequate social protection in their old age and being able to join a trade union of their choice.
The second call was for a new social contract “… to promote national unity, ensure human safety, and foster economic development.”
Guyana cannot do much to improve the welfare of its present workforce or provide jobs for the unemployed, unless the national income of US$3,140 per capita is immediately increased. Joint action is also needed to arrest Guyana’s growing crime rate; the 2014 World Bank Report indicates that there was a surge of serious crimes in Guyana during 2013. There were, for example, 1,038 reports of robbery under arms at the end of November 2013, representing a 7% increase over the same period in 2012. The World Bank noted other serious crimes such as murder, piracy, road-fatalities, inter-personal violence and banditry in the hinterland.
In essence, anyone familiar with Guyana’s political, social and economic situation, will have to agree with Granger/ APNU’s social contract proposal that aims to involve major sections of the society ‒ government, political opposition, trade unions, private sector and civil society in coming together to seek an agreement on a broad programme to move Guyana forward.
I would like to suggest some topics that the participants in the proposed social contract discussions could deliberate upon: The detection and prevention of financial crimes; reduction in the crime rate; surveillance of Guyana’s financial transactions; containing tax evasions; reviewing VAT, which is one of the highest in the Caribbean; restoration of an aging City Hall; improvements in minerals exploration; promotion of tourism; export of agricultural produce; reviving manufacturing; examination of the roles of the financial and insurance services; the optimal functioning of oversight commissions and negotiations around Guyana’s budgetary allocations.
Yours faithfully,
Morris Wilson