Dear Editor,
I refer to Pastor WP Jeffrey’s letter, ‘It is difficult for overseas Guyanese offering skills to break into the inner circle of bureaucracy’ (SN, January 1). Like Pastor Jeffrey, I too have had a similar experience but with the previous administration. I am a skilled professional and so when I heard that there were shortages of my skill sets, I immediately offered to volunteer at a certain ministry. The response I received was one of total dysfunction by senior government officials. This was unfortunate considering those needing help were ignored. My experience made me realize that our governments are responsible for wrecking our country and driving us into turmoil. There is no question in my mind that this dynamic undoubtedly fuels the abnormally high suicide rate.
Pastor Jeffrey is absolutely right that the APNU+AFC government is riding on the same dysfunctional trajectory as the previous administration. Also, it should not be ignored that the PNC (APNU) initially mapped out this trajectory and travelled it. The APNU+AFC government campaigned on a mantra of change and so where is the change? It is no secret that our country desperately needs all kinds of skills to move it forward and to mitigate the pains of the poor. Sadly, however, our governments have been indifferent about engaging skilled professionals. So what is driving its indifference? Well, job opportunities are scarce and so our governments are hoarding them for their comrades (supporters, friends and family of government) as political paybacks and incentives. More often than not their comrades lack the requisite credentials which leads to high levels of inefficiency which undoubtedly ravage our country. Editor, our entire nation is brimming with inefficiencies. Government’s actions are deliberate. Government does not care. Government chastised the PPP/C for similar wrongdoings, but it is a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
In spite of the fact that government is heartlessly firing us and shutting us out of development, it is bold-faced enough to call for our return from abroad. Such calls are empty and nothing less than prevarication to bolster its image and camouflage its shady actions. Take, for example, just within recent weeks President Granger was calling on our students studying abroad to return home after the conclusion of their studies against a backdrop of his government firing citizens. Who would respond to such impractical calls? Who would want to return to a country where citizens with the requisite credentials are unable to penetrate the work force? Who would want to return to a country where government is hoarding jobs for comrades? Who would want to return to a country where comrades lack knowledge and any prospects moving the country forward would wind up in a stalemate? Who would want to return to a country to idle and twiddle their thumbs? Who would want to return to a country where corruption nullifies our hard work? Youths here at home are unable to find jobs, so how will government find jobs for those returning from abroad? Who would want to return to a country where our lives are not safe? Government needs to be genuine. Government holds the trump card and if it plays it fairly, it will unleash development. However, government is playing the game in its favour and this will only anchor us deeper in poverty.
Let us be frank, our governments are more than happy to keep us at bay so that they have the entire pie to themselves. Like it or not, we need to buckle up for an extended ride by the APNU+AFC government. Heartbreakingly, the poor are too fragile to endure this. This government not only rejects our skills, but it also has the gall to award itself a mega salary increase. Government is unremorsefully trampling on our human rights, throttling development and destroying our country. This must end.
We the people have the ultimate power to muzzle the government. Our country desperately needs to move forward. Government needs its power stripped and momentum is building in this regard. Make no mistake, Guyana desperately needs a radically different government in terms of it philosophy and ideology for us to realize meaningful change.
Yours faithfully,
Cecil Dilipkumar
