We have to avoid taking on excessive debt

Dear Editor,

When it comes to the financial management of our country, we must avoid the past posture of taking on excessive debt and then asking for debt forgiveness. What happened with the debt owed to Kuwait should have been avoided due to our discovery of oil. Neither is the PPP’s Cup one for begging nor is the PNC’s Palm Tree one under which beggars take rest. Increasing investment and improving infrastructure is always a good leading indicator to attract FDI. However, this will not compensate for the lack of stability & investment security if money laundering is a factor within the economy. Staying within a budget based on traceable revenues and keeping borrowing to a minimum will help improve the financial health of our nation and its fiscal transparency.

Recent comments on the lack of activity in the Parliamentary Committees such as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) should be heeded to help move this process along while augmenting the level of economic transparency and political cooperation. The implementation of this succinct and achievable strategy in the near term will help improve our Nation’s standing within the international community while also reducing the risk of negative foreign interference. 

Yours faithfully,

Jamil Changlee

Chairman 

The Cooperative Republicans of

Guyana