Improved national performance in Guyana

Nov 12, 2008 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Guyana fares well on the selection indicators for funding from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an entity over which the USAID exercises jurisdiction. And yet the media’s response to transmitting this information could hardly qualify as objective and fair.
It’s not surprising that when international bodies as Transparency International spew out negatives, the media engage in ecstasy in the transmission function.
I say it is not surprising because media bias, consistent distortions, and the whole gamut of deception become the mainstay of some media houses in this country. In fact, deceptive media behaviour has become normative.
But let me proceed with what I want to say in this letter; something about Guyana’s national performance and the MCC.
On March 14, 2002, President George W. Bush at the Inter-American Development Bank issued a call for a new funding package for global development. Bush pleaded for increased funding from rich nations that must be tied to increased responsibility from poor nations.
At that time, President Bush agreed to increase U.S. development aid by 50% over three years, reaching US$5 billion by 2006. The MCC is the holding agency for these funds.
Developing countries will become eligible for these funds, once they are satisfactorily evaluated on 16 indicators in three areas of national performance: (1) ‘Governing Justly’; (2) ‘Investing in People’; and (3) ‘Promoting Economic Freedom’.
According to the World Bank, good governance requires the use of authority for the common good, through which the following processes would ensure that: (a) those in positions of authority are selected, monitored, and replaced; (b) a government has the capacity to effectively manage its resources; and (c) respect for these institutions.
‘Governing Justly’ is one area of national performance; and here the basis of a poor nation’s assessment will be on civil liberties; political rights; voice and accountability; government effectiveness; rule of law; and control of corruption. The Millennium Challenge Corporation gave a passing grade to Guyana on ‘Governing Justly’.
‘Investing in People’ is a second area of national performance; and here a poor nation’s assessment will be on primary education spending as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product; primary education completion rate; public health expenditures on health as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product; and immunization rates: DPT and measles.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation awarded a passing grade to Guyana on ‘Investing in People’.
“Investing in people’ continues to drive Government’s development policy from primary to tertiary education. And education expenditure as a percentage of the National Budget is as follows: 15% (2008), 13.7% (2007); 13% (2006); 8.12% (2005), 15.5% (2004), 14.4% (2003), 18.2% (2002), 16.5% (2001), and 11.7% (2000).
And as the education budget increases, CXC successes increase. It is important to remind ourselves that CXC successes from 1990 through 1993 were tottering around 50% until 1994 when successes reached 54.41%. In 2002, there was a 77% success rate. In fact, from 1999 through 2008, the percentage of CXC success was averaging more than 75%.
Health expenditure as a percentage of the national budget is as follows: 9% (2008), 9.3% (2007), 9.0% (2006), 7.5% (2005), 9.5% (2004), 8.9% (2003), 8.8%  (2002), 7% (2001), 5.7% (2000).
And Guyana’s immunization coverage ranks well and even better than some developing nations. In 2007, Guyana averaged well over 90% in the immunization of the following: one-year olds against DPT; one-year olds against MMR, Yellow Fever; one-year olds against polio; and one-year olds against TB.
‘Promoting Economic Freedom’ is a final area of national performance; and here the basis of a poor country’s assessment is its credit rating; inflation; three-year budget deficit; trade policy; regulatory quality; days to start a business. The MCC gave a passing grade to Guyana on ‘Promoting Economic Freedom’, excepting two indicators.
Guyana obtained an overall successful grade from the MCC’s assessment, and is now a better performing country in ‘Governing Justly’; ‘Investing in People’; and ‘Promoting Economic Freedom’.
And so, Guyana is on hand to benefit from the two-year US$1.34 billion project that started on January 14, 2008, with the funds emanating from the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Projects dedicated to ‘Governing Justly’, ‘Investing in People’, and ‘Promoting Economic Freedom’, will be beneficiaries of these funds.
Look, there is no question that some difficulties persist, and when this is the case, we should tell the world as it is; but similarly, when some goodness emerges, we also should sing Guyana’s praises.
Prem Misir

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