Dear Editor,
The year 2016 will soon come to an end and for us Guyanese next year promises to be very challenging. But we are Guyanese and we are very resilient; we have the ability to overcome any challenges that may come our way.
We are less than two years into a new government which has a great task on its hands as it attempts to clean up the system of governance left by the previous administration. Many shortcomings of the PPP/C government have been revealed, such as the fact that there was rampant corruption and that a large section of the population was neglected. It was also quite clear that no emphasis was placed on galvanizing and educating the majority of our young people, and we see the results today with the upsurge in criminal activities by mainly very young people. By now every Guyanese is familiar with the crime sprees that took place during the presidency of Mr Bharrat Jagdeo.
With all that was done by the PPP/C administration we have a duty and responsibility to work with the new government to turn this country around; we must all strive for greater production and productivity in every sector. We must commit ourselves to stamping out corruption and idleness on the job; we have a commitment to the development of Guyana.
As Guyanese we must re-dedicate ourselves to help the youths realize their dreams of becoming productive citizens. As teachers, we must teach our children, the real value of life; we have a duty to prepare them to be worthwhile citizens, and must not allow them to fall by the wayside. They need our guidance now more than ever. I would like to see a conference on the development of our young people take place in early 2017. This conference must bring together young people from every region and of every race, and must include all political parties and youth groups. At the end of the conference we must come up with solutions to the many problems facing our youths.
The Guyana Revenue Authority in 2017 will attempt to collect taxes from those persons who have been escaping the tax net. For long Guyanese have not been meeting their obligation to this country. As the Commissioner General recently mentioned there are thousands of businessmen in this country who are unregistered. These people must be made to pay their fair share of taxes. In 2017, Guyanese must reject the call for disunity and work and live together. It is only through unity that this country and with the emerging oil sector it would be quite unfortunate if the people who come here find a disunited country. We must learn from other countries’ mistakes and protect ourselves from foreigners who would want to take advantage of our disunity and cause us to remain poor.
In 2017 I would like to see the Guyana Police Force reformed. In 2016 the force was able to solve many high-profile crimes. For this they must be complimented, however, the Guyana Police Force has a mammoth task in rooting out corruption within its ranks.
The people of Guyana want to see corruption in the force eradicated. The Police Force in 2016 failed to bring the chaotic traffic situation under control, and this is a result of corruption among the traffic ranks.
The Stabroek Market Square needs urgent attention and the police force, not the city constabulary must be able to take control of this situation.
Our government has a moral responsibility and obligation to all Guyanese and as such Guyanese from every stratum of society must be given the opportunity to serve and make a contribution to the development of Guyana. I know that things are difficult now, but we must stop complaining and move this country forward. Let 2017 be the year for economic recovery and prosperity for all Guyanese.
Yours faithfully,
Clive Fredericks
