Dear Editor,
You provided the decision makers with sound advice on keeping infrastructure out of politics in your February 26 editorial. One of the key elements and first steps of infrastructural development and maintenance is to have proper planning to ensure that optimal decisions are made and to ensure that value and a proper product are delivered. We are a young country and have the added advantage of learning from the mistakes and successes of other countries. It is suboptimal to build housing schemes with no thought to proper sewer systems or even playgrounds for children, one of many issues that seem to lack proper planning. Will the unimaginatively named Silica City fare better?
We have several huge infrastructural projects planned. Are these projects part of a larger vision? Do we have a 20 year capital plan (not budget) or even a 5 year capital plan/? We can see from the collapse of the Demerara Harbour Bridge proposal that there is delay and confusion when the cart is put before the horse and there is no transparency.
Apart from the Ministries of Works and Housing and Water which should be responsible for maintenance and operations of infrastructure, a separate Engineering/Capital Projects Ministry is necessary to plan, budget, procure and supervise the building of new assets. This department must be manned by experienced technocrats and be free of party politics to ensure continuity if or when the government changes hands. This is owed to the Guyanese people.
Another consideration that should currently be of utmost importance and relates to Local Content policy is the decision to leave the hiring of Guyanese personnel in the hands of bidders. The Office of Local Content as the decision maker must determine how much Guyanese employment should be part of all contracts. A minimum stipulation of 50% of the personnel requirement and 50% of wages/expenditure going towards Guyanese workers would be a good start. If foreign companies absolutely cannot find any Guyanese employees to fill this quota then there can be an exemption, if training can’t be provided. We are in a new phase of development and cannot undermine our own people. Let’s have our people trained and educated and ready to go. A wealthy nation of industrious, financially comfortable citizens.
Yours faithfully,
R. Singh
