From the Diaspora…2014 WISHES FROM GUYANESE IN THE DIASPORA

Jan 05, 2014 News

---

 

By Ralph Seeram
Following my article last week, some readers responded with their wish list for Guyana this year. Most of them are the basic everyday amenities. They were not asking for too much, just stuff that should be standard in this 21st Century, things we take for granted here in the Diaspora.
One of the overwhelming wishes is for a reliable supply of electricity. It is inconceivable that in this age Guyana does not have a 24-hour reliable supply of electricity. So many times I am speaking to friends on the phone or messaging when the line or internet goes dead; as usual it was a blackout. I am not sure if the government is aware of the fear the public has of blackouts. How can you move a country into the 21st Century without a reliable supply of electricity?
The housewives are in fear of their meats and other frozen foods spoil, which places additional strains on their already tight budget.
I am not even going to get into how it affects business. Existing large companies could afford to have backup generators, but the lack of reliable supply of electricity is great disincentive to investors.
The government can preach about the progress Guyana has made, quote all the statistics about how well the country is doing. When blackout hits, all of that “goes through the window”; the result is cuss down on the PPP government. People are more concerned about their everyday conveniences than any grandiose projects.
A familiar sight in Guyana is those black overhead water tanks in yards of those who can afford them. On a visit to Guyana some time ago I had to explain to family members what the purpose of those tanks was. It’s taken for granted by the average Guyanese. They are resigned to the fact that water is only supplied a few hours a day.
I read the nonsense Irfaan Ali spew about progress in potable water supply, well if you cannot provide the public a reliable 24- hour supply of water to the populace, then you have gone backwards, you have not made any progress.
Imagine the Capital City of Georgetown does not have a 24-hour supply of water. I wonder when he makes one of his many “tourist trips” abroad if he boasts that his Capital City does not have a 24-hour supply of water.
The problem is, not everyone can afford those storage tanks. There are still people who have to store water in buckets, basins and bowls until the water flows again.
As I said before this situation has become normal for the average Guyanese, but alien to us in the Diaspora, at least to the newer generation. Last August two barrels were shipped to the Special Needs School in New Amsterdam with some assistance from Laparkan. They were the blue plastic barrels. Before the contents were emptied there were a dozen requests for the empty barrels. I understood the reason for the requests, but a young family member could not understand. In his mind we would have thrown it out for garbage, until I explained the water situation in Guyana to him.
When I left Guyana there was a reliable 24-hour supply of water and electricity, at least in Berbice. Today some 30 years later the situation is in reverse. So much for progress.
Mike, in his wish for Guyana wants to see less corruption in Government and a more competent one. He also wants to see a competent media.
Some would like to see the Guyanese speak up more about the issues that affect their everyday lives, even mounting more public protests.
Now this one is very funny; they want Guyanese to stop copying everything the U. S. does. One reader thinks that Guyanese are going “overboard” with imported goods; it seems Guyanese want all things “foreign”.
Well this also needs no further explanation. Just look at the stores. Guyanese are exporting their wealth by spending so much on foreign goods. It brings to mind a situation some time ago. A friend of mine bought a bottle of soft drink; he asked for one that was made in Barbados, so I asked what’s wrong with the soft drinks made in Guyana. He could not give an answer.
I explained that by buying locally made goods the money stays in Guyana, to generate more economic activity. I doubt whether he understood what I was talking about.
This splurge of imports is going to hurt Guyana soon. Gold prices which have been driving the economy are down by some 30 per cent, sugar is not bringing in the foreign dollars as it used to. All of this is leading to a serious foreign exchange problem soon.
The countries in the Caribbean that showed better economies than Guyana, depended on tourism.
Tourism can bring valuable foreign dollars to Guyana, but for now Guyana can forget about that. Who wants to come to a country that does not have a reliable supply of water and electricity? I have not even touched on the garbage filled City of Georgetown.
Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: [email protected]

---

---