Dear Editor,
Not so long ago the President commented that Guyana needs brains not barrels. I beg to differ, since barrels have always covered up the void left by the government with regard to its responsibility to provide a decent standard of living. Moreover, as the number of barrels increased year over year, the government has become more complacent, ie the lower and middle classes are solely responsible for improving their respective standard of living, relatively speaking.
The contents of barrels are most essentials that lower and middle class folks need to survive, because the unlivable wages they earn are never sufficient to cover their daily needs. As such, while the President’s rhetoric about brain drain is a valid point, it does not improve the masses; standard of living, at least tangibly enough to warrant sympathy for the so-called brainiacs living overseas.
The contents of the brains, especially those of the diaspora are relative and speculative at least. Besides, bringing the brains back has an initial cost relating to free housing, cars, servants, 24 hours of electricity, reliable internet, etc. On the other hand, barrels provide duties, revenues, jobs, happiness, etc.
Lastly, I urge the President to fix the reasons for the importation of barrels first, or simultaneously grow brain power locally. This is cheaper now with the available technologies. Stop spending billions on new schools that are inhabitable by students and instead invest in cheap but efficient technologies.
Yours faithfully,
Keith Bernard
