Promises, promises, promises

Apr 14, 2015 Editorial

Every time elections come around the people of this country are regaled with pledges of what they can expect should one or other of the parties accede to office. In fact, this is common with all political parties when they all seek to get into office.
There is nothing wrong with promising the people to do certain things. Barack Obama, the President of the United States, when he acceded to office, promised to reverse the recession, something that he did. He also promised that Guantanamo Bay, the military location that the United States owns on Cuba, would be shut down.
At the time, there had been the attacks on the United States by people seen as Islamic radicals. The United States with the help of allies, hunted them down and sent most of them to Guantanamo Bay where they remained imprisoned pending trial. Six years into his tenure Obama has not been able to effect the closure although he did take some measures that did not find favour with his opponents. He released some of the prisoners.
Then there was the issue of health insurance for the wider society. He called it Obamacare and faced tremendous opposition to get it on track. This was one of his campaign promises. Unlike Guyana where the government, once it has the Parliamentary majority, can do as it pretty much pleases, the President of the United States is inhibited by a Congress and a Senate.
In Guyana there were campaign promises too. In the run up to the 2011 elections the incumbent made numerous promises. One of these was to review some of the decisions taken during the tenure of his predecessor. For example, there was the promise to review the value added tax which currently stands at 16 per cent.
There was also a promise to review the distribution of radio licences, a promise to fight corruption and a promise to reduce crime in the country. This year, there are more of the same. Indeed there is no mention of the value added tax or the radio licence review. But there have been the promises of dealing with corruption and of tackling crime.
It goes without saying that the value added tax remains unchanged and since the distribution of the radio licences there have been no more, and this is despite the International community calling on the government to review the distribution.
What makes this even more worrying is the fact that the Ramotar administration has been in office for three years. He has failed to rein in crime. In fact, there have been more murders that at any time during the last two years of his reign.
Robberies went unchecked for a long time. People going to the commercial banks were not assured that they would be allowed to walk around with cash. Gunmen made bold to enter offices and business places to execute robberies. In broad daylight they walked into a hotel and defied the security cameras.
In the two decades that the party has been in office there has been not one prosecution for corruption although the evidence has been startlingly clear. People in Government employ suddenly have suddenly displayed untold wealth. Even Ministers of Government seemed to become immensely wealthy with no apparent source.
There were no probes by the Guyana Revenue Authority so it was business as usual. Contractors complained of paying graft but nothing changed. No one was prosecuted. And so when on the campaign trail, President Donald Ramotar promises to put an end to corruption one is left to wonder what happened during past years.
But then again, what better way to induce people than by offering an incentive? It might have been better if there was some attempt at correcting the situation but then again, the various political parties know that there are hardcore voters and no matter what they will vote. For the most part Guyanese have never been known to vote on issues.

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Promises, promises, promises

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