Guyana decayed under the PNC, not PPP

Feb 20, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
I refer to the letter by Donald Isaacs: “Guyana has decayed under the PPP” in Kaieteur News of Monday, 16/2/09, in reply to mine of 13/2/09, also in KN headed: “Guyana is in no state of decay” and also published in Stabroek News of the same date under the caption: “Guyana has made remarkable progress in 16 years”.
The University of Guyana, which Burnham and the PNC ridiculed as “Jagan’s night school”, and from which thousands of Guyanese plus nationals of other countries have benefited, was Dr. Cheddi Jagan’s idea.
Hoyte’s Economic Recovery Programme was no initiative or brainchild of the PNC, but was imposed by international financial institutions in return for assistance to the country in its dire economic straits under PNC policies, programmes and governance. It was referred to by many who suffered under it as “empty rice pots”.
Isaacs claims that the PNC left office with US$1.00 being exchanged for G$119.00. But when Hoyte took over from Burnham in 1985, it was US$1.00 to G$2.00 to $3.00, and in Hoyte’s short seven years it deteriorated massively, plus inflation escalated to over 100%.
Isaacs also refers to housing development under the PNC, but these were in PNC urban areas and mostly for PNC supporters.
The Housing Ministry was closed down and land was not distributed to the people, but large tracts were sold to wealthy business people at cheap prices, which contributed to the party’s coffers.
Isaacs should ask himself why 130 squatting areas were left by the PNC for the PPP/C to regularise and provide infrastructure and also issue titles. The PPP/C also re-opened the Housing Ministry.
Burnham and the PNC benefited from many of the projects that were on schedule when the PPP demitted office in 1964, following the contrived coalition between the PNC and the UF to get the PPP out of office.
It is reported that the British Governor confided at the time that in his experience with colonial governments that the PPP was the most honest.
In 1989 Guyana was adjudged by foreign missions to have become the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, overtaking Haiti.
Cost recovery at UG was in the PNC plans when they were voted out, and the PPP/C exercises very humane consideration in granting and collecting loans.
Only one school was built during Hoyte’s extended seven-year term, and this was at Wismar. Don’t forget either, Mr. Isaacs, the US$2.1 billion debt which the PNC bequeathed to the people when the PPP/C came into elected office.
John Da Silva

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