Dear Editor,
The Guyana Trades Union Congress is fed up with what is passing for governance and calls on the citizens/workers/electorate to register their disgust with the current management of the affairs of state. The continuous loss and inconvenience caused by floodwater incurred through rainfall or high tides is a toll that carries deep psychological, health and economic casualties. The images of resignation, hopelessness and despair on the faces of those who have suffered and lost are heartrending. No people deserves to live under these arduous conditions, with seemingly no end in sight. Household possessions, farms, businesses, vehicles, houses, schools, persons, everything is once again affected.
The trading of blame, excuses, finger-pointing and continued absence of an effective plan to manage the numerous floods inundating this nation since 2005 is unacceptable. The citizens of this country, by and large, continue to honour their side of the social contract by obeying the laws, voting and paying their rates and taxes, yet they continue to be denied the corresponding benefits and protection. Enough is enough. It is said a people get the government they deserve. The people of this country deserve better and must demand better. Our votes must not only count at election time but must be our reinforcing ticket to demand an improved standard of living and proper stewardship of our country.
Guyana is below sea level. This nation inherited a complex and effective sea defence structure and irrigation system built by the Dutch and the British. As an independent nation the only waterway development and irrigation this nation has seen are the construction of the Mahaica/ Mahaicony Abary Development Scheme (MMA Scheme) and the Tapacuma Irrigation Project (TIPs), both of which cry out for maintenance. There has been no further development in water management. Our sea defence structure also needs improvement. The hodge-podge approach to development continues to be to the people’s undoing.
The management of the people’s business by government officials, influenced by feelings and benefits they and their cohorts can derive, with no regard for sound technical/scientific input, has seen this nation’s waterways and drainage reduced to facilitate construction. The effects of new designs and construction currently taking place on the East Coast and East Bank roadways bring into question whether such undertakings have factored in meeting the expansion in housing/buildings and agriculture simultaneously taking place, and planning for the future. We have no control over when the tides will rise, when it will rain or the amount of rainfall. We also live in a world confronted with climate change. What we have control of is putting systems in place to avoid or minimise the consequences of natural occurrences. In many instances the disasters from flooding in Guyana are man-made, the resulting effects of the government’s lack of maintenance, preparedness and defence.
There are persons who acquired their possessions through dint of hard work, sacrifices, loans and hire purchase. The agonising pictures of possessions being salvaged or lost do not even stir this government’s conscience.
The destruction of lives and property caused by the floods has increased and this is not fair. No government comprising caring minds would be this persistently cruel to the citizenry. The Minister of Local Government, the representative face of the Ramotar administration, out there casting blame and pointing fingers must be told this government is heartless and its greatest strength is that they have no shame.
The government continues to refuse to accept that it should shoulder a responsibility to avoid the fallout from the flood. And given that there were similar previous experiences, systems should have been put in place to avoid or minimise the casualties in the event of a recurrence. The citizens are hurting and our elected officials are called upon to stop the politics of incompetence. The time is long past to cultivate a politics of solutions. The government has a principal responsibility to the citizenry and must be called upon to account and deliver.
Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis
Guyana Trades Union Congress
