Politicians do not know the hardships faced by the poor

Apr 28, 2014 Letters

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Dear Editor,
After listening extensively to the budget debates in Parliament, we have concluded that the political executives, especially Ministers do not have a clue about the hardships faced by the poor in Guyana.
One by one, Ministers stood in Parliament and praised the budget, claiming that it will help the poor and the working class.
This has been their sing song for the last 22 years since the PPP was elected, and still today, they are more poor and homeless in Guyana than at any other time in the country’s history.
The political executives at all levels need to come out of their comfort zones and their current high-flying lifestyles and go into one or a few of the depressed and deeply-poverty-stricken areas of the country and live with the poor for a few months in order to have firsthand knowledge and experience of the way of life for people living in these destitute conditions.
We have said it before in our letters that to be an effective manager, one needs to go into the poor environment directly and see how the people live, in what conditions they function with the little resources they have to make ends meet.
How many in the ruling oligarchy and other executives in prestigious and high paying positions know what it is to be poor? When such persons visit the different depressed and poverty-stricken areas of the country, only then will they know what it is to be poor and as a result, they should be able to formulate policies to improve the lives of the poor.
We recommend that they take a page from the series ‘Undercover Boss’; then they will truly understand what the poor faces on a daily basis, and see the effect of policies they formulate and the decisions they make are not working in the best interests of the poor.
They will see and feel the results of the waste that takes place on a daily basis and will recognize the unequal distribution of resources. They will also see the result of their neglect of the poor.
They will see the need for more money to deal with social issues such as free education, free health care, adequate water, proper sanitation and training; or even actively assisting the senior citizens with health care and getting homes in which to live.
In Guyana, there is no money shortage. It is through proper management of the abundant resources and the assurance of its equal distribution among the people that will ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to live a prosperous life, thus giving them the opportunity to serve effectively in every strata of society.
Presently, there is only one group of persons, the rich and powerful who are serving on Boards of corporations or benefiting from the current system. This has to change for any meaningful development to take place.
If there was money shortage, where are the billions coming from to elect these political leaders?
Where are the billions coming from to build a new airport that is not needed because there are only four flights per day; to build a Specialty Hospital when the public hospitals are starved for funds, the Marriott Hotel when the occupancy rate for hotels are less than 60% and the billions that are being paid to their friends for shoddy work?
Where do they find money to pay sugar workers to protest, to purchase new and expensive government vehicles, to build mansions, to pay super salaries to contract employees to do what a civil servant can do for far less? Many of the executives are racking up unnecessary travel and room and board expenses that the taxpayers have to pay.
The time has come for them to begin cutting their luxuries, wastage and end the massive corrupt practices that are costing the taxpayers’ billions of dollars.
We cannot reduce poverty or talk about sustainable or human development when only one set of persons are being required to make sacrifices.
Make no mistake, many of the executives know that if the poor are given the opportunity to succeed, their profits will decrease, but they must understand that unless the poor of the society are financially strong – that is, if the feet of the society are not moving, then the rest of the country cannot move.
Millions are being wasted or recklessly squandered while there are children who cannot even get a proper nutritious meal, proper health care, a roof over their heads or afford textbooks.
Instead of fixing the issues, or going to live in the communities themselves for a period in order to be a better manager, they are spending the taxpayers’ money on projects that will help their rich friends and relatives and not the poor. What a shame?
Dr. Terrence Simon,
Aubrey Reteymer,
Asha Balbachan,
Chandra Deollal, Esq,
Guiliana Jacobs,
Noel Moses,
Derrick Arjune
Harish S. Singh
Dr. Devita Khan,
Donna Mathoo,
Asquith Rose,
Dr. Manny Brigall

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