Dear Editor,
The Economic Times recently quoted the late Queen Elizabeth II as having said, “It’s worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change”. As we consider the zeal being demonstrated by His Excellency to continue to accelerate investment into infrastructure and other major projects, we must keep in mind the financial stability of our country and the global environment within which our country exists today. The risks are real and the economic consequences of those risks can have a lasting negative impact on the future trajectory of our nation. With such a high level of zeal being expressed at the helm, one can only expect a budget that reflects an ambition for aggressive growth instead of cautious spending.
The urgency to spend in Guyana and to do so at record levels has created a cost-of-living problem, poor project manning and poor project execution. This does bring into question the level of thoughtfulness going into the “transformational” development process. The increasing allegations of corruption being made by the leader of the opposition does imply that the high level of spending is less about improving the quality of life for our citizens and more about increasing the opportunities to line the pockets of the unscrupulous and corrupt. The budget presentation failed to reel in government spending and is just a repeat of more of the same excessive spending plans beyond our nation’s capacity to effectively execute, with major gaps in critical areas. We must make our concerns heard during the next local government elections.
As John Locke astutely pointed out, “Government is thus a trust forfeited by a ruler who fails to secure the public good. The ruler’s authority is conditional rather than absolute”. The current administration has broken the trust previously gained with our citizens and they must work towards regaining it via improved financial management of the nation’s purse and by keeping the commitments made during the general elections. The prosperity of our nation shall not be restricted to a few but must be achieved by all participants. A failure to reflect this ambition during this fiscal cycle by working towards securing the following must be met by rejection at the polls. The government must secure:
Annual cash payments from the NRF to all citizens over the next 5 years,
A flood free zone for the Capital and coastal plain,
A continual lowering of the cost of living for all citizens,
A safer and secure living environment
Increases in respect for workers and adherence to workers’ rights
A referendum on renegotiating the Exxon contract
These 6 items are fundamental for the long term and sustainable prosperity of our citizens and our Nation. Failure of our elected leaders to achieve this is a failure to regain the trust and authority bestowed upon them by the vote of the people. The will of our people must be respected and pursued.