Dear Editor,
In the 1970s until 1992 during the dark days of the Burnham dictatorship, this song “O maninja” was played over and over in the villages as it captured the plight of Guyanese scrounging for a living under the PNC regime. It brought some consolation to us, to cope with all the food shortages and shortages of almost everything as the PNC had its boots on our necks and we lived in poverty and destitution for decades. Today, despite being an oil producing country, and the richest in CARICOM, but with a currency lower than Haiti, this song has become relevant again. While oil companies make mega profits, the sugar workers at Uitvlugt, Albion, and at Enmore are singing this song and some have gone on strike for better benefits. But not only the Uitvlugt and Albion workers, all over Guyana, people are singing the blues. A news report said, “Government closely monitoring rise in cost of living – says Finance Minister.” This sounds like “Nero fiddled while Rome burned.”
In the meanwhile, we see headlines such as, “Stabroek Block profits pull Hess from brink of debt,” which says that because of the sweetness they get from Guyana’s oil, they are now filthy rich, while the poor masses of Guyana sing, “O maninja, O maninja.” Not to be left out, the almost Minister of Finance regales us with statistics such as, “Guyana now expects economic growth at 57.8%.” When they give us such a statistic, should we dance with joy or should we weep and howl that all that money is going into the pockets of the oil companies and friends, and the Government and their business friends. Lots of “SU-SUs” for them. This money is not going in the pockets of destitute people at Bare Root, Guava Bush, or Plastic City. No matter how much growth they report that sounds as if we are making progress, for the poor man that means nothing. You will still be poor unless the Government embarks on structural changes and reinvent Government with new designs to revamp the compensation, benefits, and income support and welfare structures. Sporadic handouts, hampers, and small cash grants are not root cause solutions. And so far, we have not seen any movement on such restructuring. And the PPP said they have already accomplished the 2020 Manifesto in two years!
The government is ratcheting up the national debt in a frenzy as new loans are being arranged. The needs in the country are enormous and the funds in the Natural Resource Fund – the oil money – is not enough to take care of all the needs all over the country. We have been way behind in everything – infrastructure, health care, employment, education, social services, flood control, waste disposal, road building, bridge building, security, housing, etc. In addition, wages are too low to keep life and limb together. So, we must all realise as a nation that we must support the Government to move towards renegotiating the bad oil contract. Sri Lanka reminds us of Peoples Power. It takes money and vision to fix our problems. Nation, make a pledge today, that each of you would discuss the unfairness of the oil contract with your family and friends, and commit to support SN, KN and other Civic Society groups who are fighting for renegotiation so we can get more money to solve all our problems. Get your religious and social groups to have teach-ins and group studies about this oil. Your life will not get better unless you support all efforts at forcing the PPP and PNC to unite for renegotiation. It’s our wealth and our country, and we must all care. Wake up Guyana!
A word to GAWU – the nation is sacrificing billions and billions to prop up a failing sugar industry on life support. Why are you striking? Are you not shooting yourself in the foot, and harming the national interest? If the union head is upset with GuySuCo, how about going ahead and resign as a PPP Member of Parliament! Show them your principles.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Jailall
