Dear Editor,
The phrase “The fastest growing economy in the world,” has become trite, frowned upon by and meaningless to, the average Guyanese. It is like the one derogatorily used “Is Guyana bai.” How could we refer to our oil wealth with the level of white and blue collar crimes, lack of availability of foreign currency, bribery, non-enforcement of laws, contraventions of the Constitution, lack of accountability by our leaders, ineffective Commissions of Enquiry, squandermania of our national coffers, frequent power outages, pleas by officials of the Guyana Water Incorporated to conserve water (in the Land of Many Waters), police brutality, murders, domestic violence, lack of prison reform, a filthy Capital city and other regions, littering, noise pollution, swearing in public spaces, flooding, poor drainage, low wages, the scourge of traffic accidents and deaths, maternal deaths, one of the highest rates of suicide in the world, poverty and high prices for food, to list those that come to mind?!
I will choose our neighbour Barbados with which we have had decades of interaction, to make a comparison. There was a video on social media recently that showed ripples in the free flowing water of Barbados’ Deep Water Harbour in the heart of Bridgetown, where yachts dock, devoid of a particle of a foreign substance. We do not have a Deep Water Harbour. The panoramic view showed a squeaky clean and modern environment. Investors and foreigners maintain respect for the standards and laws of the society. We all know the contrast that prevails in Georgetown.
Another healthy and admirable feature of Barbados is their non- contributory senior citizens’ pension of Bds$ 230 weekly, with an additional Bds$100 monthly for eligible seniors. This converts to US$460 and US$510 monthly.
The GDP of Barbados is 8.02 billion USD. Per Capita it is $23,014 USD. Its Growth Rate is 2.7%. The GDP of Guyana is 33.96 billion USD. Per Capita it is $33,170 with a Growth Rate of 20.8%. Additionally, Guyana is projected to gain revenue of US$6.5 billion in 2026.
I advocate for a government of technocrats with a proven track record and Constitutional Reform to reduce the powers of the Executive and to bring the President’s salary more in line with the people’s wages. In an oil rich economy, it does not mean a reduction in the President ‘s salary but an increase in the public and private sector employees’ wages. The bluster of “One Guyana,” “The fastest growing economy in the world,” and “improvement in the lives of all Guyanese,” must stop until we start seeing such rhetoric bearing fruit.
Sincerely,
Conrad Barrow