Dear Editor,
Our beautiful and rich motherland has everything we need to offer our citizens a way out of poverty. The vision of past leaders has been towards the upliftment of our people via access to opportunity in the use of our land. If every citizen was given five acres of land with which to do as they please our nation would see a faster increase in its development and a faster increase in the wealth and worth of our citizens. Many Guyanese have shown an interest in agriculture. This is but one way to use the land.
The current development plan of the government does not allow for the long term financial independence of our citizens. The house lots being provided are capable of supporting a house and a kitchen garden. Owners will have to work hard for someone else for many years in order to pay off their debt with little opportunity afterwards to work independently.
On the other hand, if the government made it policy that each citizen will receive five acres of land and all future Guyanese will also receive that amount upon birth, the government can eliminate poverty and prevent debt at a much faster rate. The focus of the government can then be where they can add the most value. That is in securing business opportunities for the export of our products and services. Our citizens can use the land to support those business opportunities and not need to always work for others in order to make a living. As the value of the land increase so does the value of the businesses that our citizens can support due to the increasing access to funds.
The oil revenue should be used to provide greater access to land and basic services in support of such an economic development policy; and some of the funds should also be distributed to each household for their use to make the most of the land provided and pay off their new mortgage. The upside of this approach has more appeal than placing a house on a house lot where the financial development of a family is restricted. Five acres for each citizen with a house similar to that currently being offered is the game changer Guyana needs to lift our people out of poverty and secure our economic future over the long term.
CRG recommends that the House of Parliament pass legislation that supports such an economic development plan that will eliminate poverty in Guyana.
Sincerely,
Jamil Changlee
Chairman
The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana
