Of oil and the Ministry of Citizenship

May 24, 2015 Features / Columnists, News

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The Story within the Story…
 
By Leonard Gildarie
The last week was a head-spinning one in every regard. I saw an entire room filled with ‘Pee Esses’- public

servants and Permanent Secretaries. There were many scared faces. Many of them openly supported the previous Government during the lead-up to the May 11 elections although they were supposed to be professionals and impartial.
However, there were no firings. Rather, the new president seems to prefer working with everyone once there is willingness. He said he was not interested in who they voted for.
Then there was the swearing-in of ministers, the renaming of ministries and the merging of a few of them.
I also lost count on Friday on the number of ministers and junior ministers and Minister within the Ministries. The names of the ministries had quite a weird ring to them and many were shaking their heads.
I believe that change is necessary if we are to move to that next level. Nothing can ever remain the same.
The new President, David Granger, was clear in his message to the ‘Pee Esses’- get your game in order. No longer will Guyana tolerate slacking up and poor services. Corruption will be treated with zero tolerance. Public servants will have to remember they are the servants of the people and not the other way around.
But I was especially interested in the concept of development for the country that was thrown out by the Head of State. He wants to create independent communities that are complete in their existence. It means that job creation, playgrounds, community centres, clean streets and functioning NDCs and town councils, will have to be the order of the day.

What we are talking about are models similar to what the US, and other developed countries are striving for. The concentration of jobs in the towns and city will be gradually shifted to those communities.
I think it is a good start, but everyone will have to be on board. Issues like garbage dumping will have to be addressed and an attitudinal change will have to come about to create safer neighbourhoods.
Last week I called on the new administration to not forget that about half of the votes cast, according to GECOM, went to the PPP. It means that the mistakes of the last Government cannot be repeated. As a government, you have to listen to everyone.
I would love to see a strong opposition in Guyana. It is healthy, it is democratic. The PPP must choose its best team and head to Parliament. They too have a mandate from their voters. This is not the time for flexing of muscles.
It is final. GECOM has named a winner and a new Government has been sworn in.
I do believe with its experience, the PPP will make an excellent Opposition.
I also saw the swearing-in of a new minister, former police chief, Winston Felix, to oversee the Ministry of Citizenship. I think this is a good move. There have been too many allegations of wrongdoing in the issuance of passports, visas and other areas of citizenship.
Millions were being paid by foreigners to become citizens. Millions were also reportedly paid for gun licences. How could this be?
Then there is the unhappiness over the birth certificate situation with the registry. It is a timely move for this ministry. The responsibility has been removed from what was known as the Ministry of Home Affairs. We have to start valuing our passport and the love for this country. Our citizenship cannot be sold.
Amidst all the news last week, the oil find announcement by ExxonMobil, a US-owned company, just off Guyana shores, is perhaps one of the biggest ones for me.
We have been seeking oil for a long time. It got serious in the last few years and though two attempts – by CGX and Repsol – failed, the hopes were high. Everybody knew oil was there.
With the price for oil as it is, along with the necessary infrastructure that will have to be constructed with the well and with environmental concerns, Guyana will have to tread carefully to exploit this resource. Our agreements and proceeds from the oil well, have the possibility of propelling the development of this country to another level, but we cannot abandon the other money-earners like rice and gold.
Other countries like Nigeria and Venezuela have been exploiting their oil, but their very dependency and the subsequent drop of prices on the world market, have been creating economic chaos for the citizens.
That is why the creating of a special fund to develop Guyana from our natural resources will have to move from mere lip service to implementation. Places like the Forestry Commission, Gold Board and Geology and Mines Commission will have to be managed properly. The monies can be used to build better roads, schools, universities, hospitals, and even pay better salaries. The officials that will be chosen will have to be “unbribable”, to use a phrase from the new President.
The future looks bright, but all hands will have to be on deck. That includes the Opposition as the watchdogs.

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