Blame the Government - When civilized people can’t talk to each other

Blame the Government – When civilized people can’t talk to each other

May 18, 2008 Peeping Tom

People talk to each other in the civilized world, and when they fail to agree on something they talk again. If they still fail, then they seek mediation. It is like a husband and a wife; they do not agree all the time but they eventually seek common ground by talking, even if the conversation is contentious and often confrontational.

Running a government is often like a husband and a wife situation. Often the two would be at odds over an issue, but they always seem to resolve it. Whenever they fail, either because of a lack of effort or a desire not to talk at all, they end up going their separate ways permanently.

While there may be similarities between a husband and a wife and the Government, the latter simply cannot afford not to resolve an issue. To do so would be to court destruction, because there are always people who take their leads from their political leaders.

The Government is now of the view that there is no trust between itself and the main opposition party. They have been talking, but for some reason the talks have not produced the desired results for either of the parties, with the result that development is being affected.

Mr. Robert Corbin and his party have long claimed that the Government ignores their demands, and therefore it is a waste of time to talk, but the Government often concludes that the demands are unreasonable, and therefore cannot be met. For example, Mr. Corbin has been calling for a reduction in the VAT from 16 per cent to eight per cent. This at first glance would seem to be a reasonable request, but when one considers that monies from VAT help to make life easier for the vulnerable in the society, one can readily conclude that slashing VAT would mean slashing the extent of relief to the vulnerable.

Only the person wearing the shoe knows where it pinches; only the vulnerable know the meaning of the relief they get, and only they know what any reduction in the amount of relief means. Robert Corbin would not, because he is far from being vulnerable.

How can anyone blame the Government for not seeking to accede to this request?
The PNCR also wants a huge increase in pay; Corbin calls the five per cent measly and inadequate. He must know that a government can only pay what it can afford, and it bears repeating that his Government refused to pay a promised increase in the minimum wage because it could not afford.
Mr. Corbin should also recall the arbitral award that gave public servants a fifty per cent wage hike over two years in 1999. The money was quickly swallowed up by inflation, so much so that within two years the workers were once more calling for even more money. The Government complied with smaller annual pay rises.
Some requests are heeded, however, and Mr. Corbin knows this. It was he who approached President Bharrat Jagdeo in talks and secured the release of Mark Benschop from prison. For there to be no distrust at this time is amazing and disappointing, because the country needs to advance.
All of last week Mr. Corbin continued the politics of the streets, making for some nervous moments for sections of the population, but largely counter-productive, because many things come to a halt; and while such a situation may hurt the Government, it will also hurt the people.
Then there are the fringe elements who take things into their own hands, because they feel that their political leader is slighted. Friday night’s shooting of the car owned by a policeman and the attempt at fire bombing of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport cannot be delinked from the street protests that occurred last week.
The Government has conceded that people have a right to protest, and even as they are protesting the Government has been making available to them food at special prices with money from the very VAT that Mr. Corbin wants to see slashed.
His government sought to use price controls; this government is providing cushions. Mr. Corbin fails to recognize that the prices of which he is critical are the result of a global phenomenon. Even in countries hardest hit the street protests seem to be over, and there must be a reason for this; the people recognize that their government could not be at fault, something the opposition should acknowledge instead of seeking to blame the Government.
It is time the PNCR supports the Agriculture Ministry’s “Grow More Food Campaign,” as walking on the streets disrupting progress, threatening violence and seeking to torch Government building will not put monies in people’s pockets or food on their tables.

Latest News

Blame the Government – When civilized people can’t talk to each other

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Seven Regional Champions to vie for direct promotion single spot in...

Kennard Memorial Turf Club expresses sincere...

Canada-based Guyanese Umpire Suresh Budhoo...

Anil Beharry Real Estate and Related Services...

Alarm in West Indies over radical two-division...

After 18 years hiatus, West Indies arrive in...

Features/Columnists

Jagdeo’s policies were a disaster

Forget Begging Rich Nations: Caribbean Countries Should Act to Save Themselves

John Hess speaks, Guyanese should listen

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Blame the Government – When civilized people can’t talk to each other

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]