Dear Editor,
Growing up I heard many stories of “Fat Boy”. You couldn’t be a critic and succeed. You couldn’t say anything against him and still work for his government. Many in the opposition were not given opportunities and those within his party reaped disproportionate benefits due to party affiliation. The past was filled with PNC family, friends, and favourites.
The work of “Fat Boy” was transformational at the time. The bridge to New Amsterdam, the establishment of health services across the country with the help of Cuba, new roads built, and Caribbean regional leadership supported by the strength of sugar. Many new housing schemes were established, the electrical grid was expanded, and a new town / city was birthed in his name. Nonetheless poverty persisted and access to opportunities were restricted. However, education was improved and expanded. New schools, the University of Guyana and access to a stronger free education system became a reality. Waste did also take root, and socialist policies ate away at the profits gained by the strength of the premier sector in the country due to funds and services being used to subsidize other areas of economic activity. To date GuySuCo hasn’t been compensated for the drainage and irrigation services they provide.
In the new era of oil and gas, the headlines are similar, the benefits are evident, but the approach remains similar to the not-so-distant past. Profits are squandered, cries of PPP family, friends and favourites are heard, as cries of corruption become supported by evidence. The free press gets constrained by political economics, political adversaries are persecuted, and the key money-making sector remains extremely vulnerable to global volatility and decreasing profits as the country goes on a spending spree. Socialism has taken the place of communism once again, and government subsidies weaken the strength of good business practices while poverty persists. The similarities are noticeable although the leader of the nation may be different in appearance. Many argue that he has taken a similar approach to “Fat Boy”. Giving rise to the reuse of a name that is becoming more befitting.
Are we truly making progress or are we about to repeat our history? Wasn’t Fat Boy’s time in office an experience that was learnt from or are we now happy to experience the ways of “Fat Boy” once again? The results of the upcoming local government elections will help answer these questions.