HOW IT IS DONE IN A LIBERAL DEMOCRACY

Jun 08, 2009 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

There is something cooking in Guyana. A possible deal is in the making between the authorities and a major player in a still-born hotel deal. Peeping Tom is on the case and will advise the Guyanese people as to just what is in the pot.

In the meantime, there is growing concern about the increased privatizations that are taking place in Guyana. At the rate things are going, who knows, we may wake up one morning and see an advertisement for the sale of Parliament Buildings.

In the meantime the rains have finally come. They were expected much sooner. Since December we have generally had a long dry season.

This is why there was shock when it was announced that the GuySuCo fell short of its first crop target by six thousand tonnes. Surely this shortfall could not be attributed to poor weather between January and April.

We had excellent weather in that period and the rains held off until now. Therefore there needs to be a more detailed analysis of why the target was not met.

The change in weather has obviously raised concerns about possible flooding.

The weather authorities had however claimed that we have normal rainfall this rainy season. During the December rains, they had however predicted that the rains would last right into April.

It did not, and therefore the only explanation is that climate change is responsible for this unpredictable weather pattern.

The government of course had predicted that the economy would grow this year, and a great deal of this growth is dependent on what happens in the sugar industry. But we are off to a bad start, with the first crop not achieving its targeted output. It is however still possible for the industry to catch-up in the second crop, providing that there are no major industrial stoppages or decline in production hours, due to poor weather.

The change of weather has caught many vendors by surprise. The vendors in the city however have found an ally. And what this means is that the chaos and confusion will continue.

The vendors are simply pawns. They are being misled into believing that vending will allow them to emerge out of poverty.

It will not. Mimicry does not always pay off, but the history of post colonial societies have been about mimicry, trying to copy in a later generation what may have worked in an earlier generation, under completely different circumstances.

Business is seen as the route to a comfortable life. Working for yourself, being your own boss is seen as the means to avoid exploitation. And so vending is seen as a route for the poor man to become the real man.

All that vending has done, is however hurt the poor man, none more so than market vendors who have seen an increase in vending outside of public markets and consequently a decline in the number of persons wishing to go into the markets.

The problem is that those selling outside in the hot blazing sun are not becoming rich. Many are deep into debt, but are holding on to their pallets and trays because of the independence its represents.

It is terrible, terrible tragedy. People for too long have been led to believe that through vending they can achieve financial security.

The reality however is much different. The opposite is taking place. They are burdened with debt and are dependent on those to whom they owe money.

Another tragedy that is taking place is the belief that the government is responsible for the sad plight of many. This syndrome has been spreading since Independence.

People are being led to believe that it is the government that is the source of their problem; that it is the government that is not creating jobs and not allowing them to earn enough money to take care of their families.

Too many poor persons believe this. And this keeps them in perpetual poverty, because they are looking for solutions outside of themselves.

They are waiting on change to bring about a reversal of their fortunes. They will wait and wait.

We are now in the age of liberalism, one that professes a limited role for the State and especially a limited one when it comes to things such as creating jobs.

Liberalism hinges on the role of the individual in bringing about his or her own improvement.

Liberalism is based on the philosophy that an individual must be free to pursue his own destiny and should also be responsible for what he earns or what he fails to earn.

Thus, instead of waiting for change, those who need to elevate themselves should be prepared to make their own fortunes.

One man is presently doing this. He is preparing to make a major deal with the government which will make him rich and the government happy.

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HOW IT IS DONE IN A LIBERAL DEMOCRACY

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