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We can do with more aid from India
Dear Editor,
India has provided a lot of assistance to Guyana over the years. But we can do well with more aid to help further transform our small economy.
Guyana was for several years the largest recipient of aid from India in terms of percentage of GDP. But Afghanistan has now replaced Guyana as the largest recipient of Indian assistance. Guyana needs to get back to the top by attracting more Indian aid.
As a percentage of GDP, India provides more aid to Afghanistan than any other country. Since the restoration of democracy in Afghanistan in 2002, India has provided US$2 billion in aid to Afghanistan. In a statement on Friday (05-03-10), the US State Department issued a statement that the US “deeply appreciates the substantial humanitarian and reconstruction assistance that India was providing to Afghanistan.
The willingness of India to take risks and make sacrifices to help Afghanistan was a vital part of the international commitment to Afghanistan’s future”. But it does not appear that the US government is very enthused about the large conspicuous Indian presence in reconstruction work in Afghanistan.
The Guyana Government should lobby the Indian Government to divert some of that Afghan aid to Guyana which we can use in our reconstruction efforts in consolidating our democracy.
The Indian presence in Afghanistan has been a source of tension with Pakistan which feels the Afghanistan Government of President Hamid Karzai is too friendly with India. Pakistan encourages the Islamic fundamentalists, in the form of the Taliban, to attack Indian interests in Afghanistan. The Indians are regular victims to Taliban attacks. Just a few days ago, nine Indians were killed in a bomb blast at a hotel where they reside including Indian army officers. The hotel was used by the Indian medical mission which is providing services to Afghanistan. A year ago, the Indian Embassy was bombed killing several staff including its top diplomats.
The Indian Government has provided technical and material assistance to Afghanistan as well as brought Afghanis to India for training in various fields. The Indian Government has also resurrected Afghan Airlines providing civilian aircrafts. Since the Indians are not appreciated in India, we can use them in our homeland.
Guyana can do with all of this assistance especially aircrafts that can ply from Timehri to cities where large amounts of Guyanese reside like NY, Toronto, Miami, Barbados and Trinidad.
Vishnu Bisram
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