The betrayal of the PPP’s stated ideology and Jagan’s legacy

Feb 27, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,
I was listening to the television broadcast of the budget speech when during the presentation of Basil Williams of the PNCR, as he was dealing with the wages of the working people, someone from the government side shouted that the PNC had 28 years to deal with it.
Now this is not only ridiculous, but absolutely unacceptable. Even if we were to grant the first term as having to deal with the pre-1992, today about 18 years after, we have to deal with what can be done given the situation and level of resources and what is not being done because of the manner of governance that is presently being practiced.
If we had the IMF to blame then for the imposition of anti-working class measures, we do not have it to blame now.
But the Government seems bent on pursuing the same path that pressures the working class, impoverish them, generate a huge gap between the haves and the have not, in betrayal of the PPP’s stated ideology and Jagan’s legacy.
In the beginning I defended the Government and attacked the IMF for imposing the “Washington Consensus” which had as one of its conditions fiscal austerity and in particular wage restraint.
As I stated in one of my articles, “The Western countries threw International Keynesianism out of the window, especially since they were also in crisis.
Rather than the idea of using government intervention to increase spending so as to maintain aggregate demand by providing the credit for it to do so, it pursued a policy of demanding credit and fiscal restraint; reinforce the entrenchment of underdevelopment in the existing world order; strengthening traditional export in the face of collapse in prices; and adjust by restraining wages, removal of subsidies; cuts government services; retrenchment of workers.
Today we have no signed agreement but unfortunately demonstrate no vision, and especially, no care for the workers as we continue the policy of wage restraint.
The past years have seen no increase in the income tax allowance. Then we have Value Added Tax (VAT). One of the reasons is to have those who do not pay taxes pay. But is this not admitting gross failure to widen the tax net to include all those who are escaping the tax net.
Should we not spend money to make money and so equip the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) with the necessary legal and accounting personnel to go after the tax evaders?
While we hear about the increases in tax collection it would be interesting to be informed of how many were and are now within the tax net so we can gauge the performance of the GRA.
A lot of money is spent on education. We have been filled with the idea that education can save us but we have seen thousands graduate from high school with no jobs available.
We produce thousands of graduates in fields where we have no jobs available.
In a discussion with two hopeful Presidential candidates of the PPP I mentioned that we should establish a law school. They indicated that we have too many lawyers (my opinion, silly) and that we need more engineers (good). These ‘Presi’ hopefuls did not see themselves to be blamed that as executive members of the ruling party they should have seen to it that our education system was restructured to produce the engineers.
Except for progress in a quantitative way there has been no real qualitative change to cater for the needs of Guyana by providing a diversified work force by ensuring that real delivery of education takes place.
In the area of taxation, those with children are given no relief. The children of the poor, especially, suffer as there is no allowance for them. How could the parents put them properly through school?
We need to reintroduce a progress tax regime. Or some form of subsidy for each child going to school, in fact for each child, in cases where the income of the parent is below a certain level. I may not have a solution, but a solution needs to be developed and implemented if Government wants to be regarded in any way as caring.
In any event I need to emphasise that the burden of taxes on the employed is oppressive and life threatening.
I am hoping Komal, Lewis and others in FITUG could get back on track; get off the politics and organise the working people to demand tax relief.
The Government has got to stop easing the pressure from the banking system by sterilising funds or the Government should utilise these funds to invest so as to create jobs.
The private sector has serious economic, cultural restraints reducing its effectiveness to create jobs and ensure development.
Unfortunately Jagan’s idea of a tri-sectoral economy has been cast aside, in addition to other aspects of his legacy lost within the shout “Jagan lives!”
While many have already seen the light, other members of the PPP have got to begin to understand how the government has imposed paramountcy over the PPP and unless progressives who have been marginalised are put back into the leadership, then Jagan’s legacy and the working class interest would continue to be thrown to the dogs by the Government.
If this does not take place then we have to make some hard but necessary choices with regards to the PPP if we want to ensure a future for the children of Guyana.
It does seem that it has retained the form, but has lost the real working class content.
Rajendra Bisessar

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