Dear Editor,
There are several unresolved issues which plague Guyanese society. Each unresolved issue can be the source of a multitude of problems. From all appearances our social institutions seem to be overwhelmed trying to find solutions to escalating problems. As a consequence, insufficient resources (time, human, money), are available to develop and execute strategies that could facilitate more rapid social progress. I am proposing a scaffold for social (economic, political) development based on the resolution of six critical issues.
First, our present constitution is deficient and is in need of urgent reform. In its present form this instrument constrains social progress in at least two important ways: (1) in a democracy ultimate power ought to reside with the ordinary citizens of Guyana. But, our constitution does not permit communities to choose their own representatives, nor does it allow communities to recall non-performing members of parliament, or councils. As a consequence, parliamentarians and councillors do not feel accountable to citizens. They either have no apologies to make, or will not be lectured to in the press; and (2) the President should not be granted total immunity from prosecution. No one should be above the law.
Second, and also of paramount importance is transformation of the present school system into a quality education system. In our democracy, the most important office is the office of the citizen. Therefore, every student, not just the academically bright, should be sufficiently educated in order that he or she may discharge their civic duties responsibly. Our school system urgently needs to be made more effective. We ought to bear in mind that if we do not get education right, nothing else in Guyana would progress as it should.
No school system can be better than the quality of the teachers in the classrooms. It is the quality of teachers that is the most critical input in any effort to transform our school system into a quality education system. No more time should be lost in making the Guyana teaching service truly professional. This demands immediate improvements in all aspects of the service, particularly in the areas of recruitment, remuneration, benefits and incentives. These improvements are crucial in order to attract bright candidates to teaching. Bright teachers tend to produce bright students. Either we create wealth by investing more in education now, or we must be prepared to accept increasing numbers of school drop-outs, teenage pregnancies, higher law enforcement, judicial, custodial, and other social costs, all of which consume, but create no wealth. It ought not to be beyond the Minister of Education to present the case that would convince his cabinet colleagues of the urgent need for greater investment in the professionalization of Guyana’s teaching service. It would result in a win-win outcome for all.
Third, is the issue of due diligence (adequate research) by senior government officials and holders of positions of responsibility. Many ill-informed decisions made by high ranking government officials have had, and continue to have disastrous consequences for the Guyanese public.
Knowledge about how many former colonial territories remain underdeveloped in the twenty-first century would have helped to safeguard Guyana’s patrimony from rapacious exploitation. The internet has a wealth of information. See for example: (a) ‘Exxon Mobil in India’; (b) ‘Royal Dutch/Shell: Human Rights in Nigeria’; (c) ‘Canada as global bully: The Congo Example’; (d) ‘China: The New Imperialists & Neo Colonialists in Africa’; and, (e) ‘The New Imperialism: China in Angola’.
It may surprise many to know that logging is prohibited in China. The Chinese are acutely aware of the value of their forests in their fight against pollution and climate change. It is a matter of survival. There is also information about criminal activity involving foreigners. Even here in Guyana there are lessons to be learnt with regard to foreign involvement in the smuggling of gold.
Fourth, is the enhancement of the capacities of institutions that are of particular importance for national development. Many ground-breaking developments are usually based on new knowledge which is primarily the product of research. However, many factors contribute to the fact that research activity in Guyana is minimal – research and development (R&D) is virtually non-existent.
Inadequate finance for training in advanced research has resulted in the absence of critical masses of well-trained researchers in our national institutions. To illustrate, agriculture in Guyana is still to a large extent an under-developed industry. It needs to be taken to the value-added level in order to actualize its potential to grow the national economy. But neither the Faculty of Agriculture, UG, nor the Ministry of Agriculture, nor the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute, nor the Institute of Applied Science and Technology, has the critical mass of researchers that is essential. However, a critical mass of researchers with enhanced potential for research productivity could be the result if measures were undertaken to ensure much closer cooperation and collaboration between these separate entities.
Fifth, the scourge of violent criminal activity needs to be eradicated. There is no deterrent to the establishment of small businesses like the fear of being robbed, and possibly being physically abused or even killed while attempting to protect one’s investment. Small businesses contribute significantly to job creation and to the growth of national economies.
Sixth, policies are needed that would facilitate a more reasonable population growth given the context of our economic realities. It is crucial for Guyanese to realize that quantity and quality are not complementary in a non-performing economic environment. The effects of too many people, too few jobs (high unemployment) on the quality of our social services have long been evident.
Finally, our dire social realities demand that efforts to resolve these issues take place simultaneously.
Yours faithfully
Clarence O Perry
