Empty promises will not improve the lives of the poor

Jul 21, 2013 Letters

Dear Editor,
One of the more discouraging features of life and politics in Guyana is how the regime has been blatantly doling out rewards in the form of jobs and contracts to loyalists and friends of the party during the past ten years. This corrupt practice continues today despite calls by the majority opposition for transparency and the establishment of the long awaited Procurement Commission.
Given the ingrained nature of our politics, we don’t expect that this practice will end as long as this regime is in power. However, the fact that political loyalty and friends are more important than qualifications, experience or performance is the exact reason why the country is not developing and why the taxpayers are not getting their money’s worth. It is no surprise that fairness, good and transparent governance and the equal distribution of the country’s natural resources to all people have been replaced by greed, selfishness and massive corruption at all levels of government. Simply put, the government has failed the people of Guyana because of its inept and racist policies that have led to the marginalization of a huge section of the population.
Given its huge natural resources and a small population of roughly 725,000 people, Guyana by any stretch of the imagination is too rich to have so many poor and unemployed people with little or no opportunity to improve their lives. And even though some in the government will point to economic growth in the country, a large section of the population continues to live in poverty due to high unemployment, especially among the youths. Needless to say, the poverty gap between the rich and the poor has significantly increased during the past ten years and this is the only growth rate that most Guyanese are aware of.
There’s no doubt that being a loyal member or relatives and friends of the ruling party give people a sense of entitlement to positions which they are either not qualified to fill or are not competent to execute the duties. This entitlement is spawned by an attitude that members and friends of the ruling cliché should be rewarded financially with huge contracts and well-paid jobs.
The appointment of inappropriate, unqualified and inexperienced persons to jobs and their retention despite unethical behavior by some has not only stifled development but has resulted in such massive corrupt practices never seen before in Guyana. No one can honestly refute the fact that corruption was far less than what it is today under the Burnham, Hoyte and the Jagans regimes combined. We believe that the political leaders of the current regime must be blamed for the corruption and nepotism which has reached crisis proportion because they embrace and support the idea that jobs, contracts etc., must be given to members and friends of the party.
It is unfortunate but this is the political reality that exists in Guyana and it is for this reason that the country cannot find qualified and experienced people who want to serve their country, free of party loyalty and with the sole goal of nation-building.
What is difficult for the people to understand is why is it that when political appointees are not performing or have committed serious errors they are not removed from office or are ask to resign? Is there no shame by either the appointee or by the governing elite? No sense of justice? No desire to do better?
It seems that the current political leaders and political appointees are oblivious to embarrassment. Indeed, the more public opprobrium, the more it is necessary for the political leaders to demonstrate their appreciation for loyalty and to defend the infallibility of the decision to appoint the loyalist. The people want change, and they are hoping that change will come sooner rather than later. They no longer trust the government to protect their security and promote their interests. They realized that empty promises will not improve their lives.
Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh.

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