The right to criticize and an obligation to propose viable solutions

Feb 22, 2014 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
I have noted with great disappointment, statements in the media attribute to Professor Clive Thomas, a Doctor of Economics, in the January 19th edition of the Stabroek News, in an article captioned “Severe poverty remains even if not UN’s ‘extreme poverty” in which Dr. Thomas, Mr. Granger of APNU and Halima Khan of Red Thread were quoted, and to whom many statements were attributed.
I can forgive and or even ignore Mr. Granger’s and Ms. Khan’s statements since neither are economists or intellectuals of the calibre of Dr. Thomas. But for Dr. Thomas, a Professor and one of Guyana’s bright minds, to belittle Guyana’s achievements in eradiating extreme poverty is mind-boggling.
I am not disputing the fact, and I am sure no one will, that there is poverty in Guyana, but which country on this earth does not have people living in poverty? At which point in human history was there a country free of poverty?
The important question that Dr. Thomas must ask is how many Guyanese fell into poverty during the PNC’s 28 years of dictatorship and mismanagement as against how many of those very people were able to come out of poverty during the 20 years of PPP/C rule?
Is it not much easier to plunge a country into a hole than getting it out of it? The PNC had the easy task of throwing the majority of Guyanese into a hole of poverty while the PPP/C Government on the other hand is faced with the task of rebuilding Guyana and getting those very Guyanese out of that hole they were thrown into by the PNC in the first place.
As an economist, Dr. Thomas must know that the effects of the PNC’s 28-year reign of destruction will be with us for at least another generation, whether we want to accept it or not. And whether the good professor accepts it or not, the PPP/C has largely been successful in reducing poverty in Guyana. The United Nations was kind enough to recognize it.
The PNC in its new outfit, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), is now very envious of the Government’s achievements in reducing poverty, and the members know that as long as the trend continues it (APNU) will eventually become obsolete as a political force.
It is for this very reason, and no other, that they have been fighting the Government tooth and nail to thwart progress and destroy Guyana. Cutting the National Budget in a bid to prevent the Government from providing essential goods and services; fermenting ethnic strife and creating a sense of insecurity are probably the only hopes of remaining relevant and staying alive. They understand that they are on the road to share the fate of the GPSU.
I am therefore appealing to the good Professor and Doctor of Economics to dispel my ignorance and explain to the nation in very clear and simple language the following:
· How cutting the national budget and creating a politically unstable environment can help in further reducing poverty in Guyana?
· How would capital flight and scaring away of investors (both foreign and local) help in the further reduction of poverty in Guyana and by extension those very people Ms. Khan quoted?
· How killing of the Amaila Hydro Project, the availability of cheap and reliable energy, will or will not help reduce poverty in Guyana?
· How will a new and modern airport lead to more poverty in Guyana and not development?
· How would the construction of a Marriott brand hotel in Guyana result in increased poverty among Guyanese?
· How would the non-passage of the Anti-money laundering bill “not” result in the further impoverishment of the very people they are pretending to be concerned about?
· How will poverty be reduced if those who have monies to invest and want to invest are not encouraged, and given the opportunity to do so, result in the creation of employment for the unemployed poor Ms. Khan quoted?
· How will monies lying idle in Banks contribute to poverty reduction if conditions are not created for their investment in the economy?
Since the good Professor is so concerned about poverty reduction in Guyana, and we do recognize that there is such a thing as poverty in Guyana, could he please share with the Guyanese public what are his proposals to make Guyana the only country in human history to eradicate poverty. While he has the right to criticize the Government’s record on poverty reduction, he is equally also obliged to propose viable solutions. I am eagerly awaiting his response.
Faruk Mohamed

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