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The role of the Cabinet

Oct 24, 2015 Editorial, Features / Columnists

The Coalition was formed with a very specific idea to lift Guyana out of the crisis created by the PPP; at least this was how they presented themselves on the campaign trail and in their manifesto. So far, the evidence of them sticking to this ideal remains illusionary and the comprehensive plan to providing the people with the “good life” seems out to lunch.
The criticism has been muted as all public commentators quite respectively have granted the government a honeymoon. But that honeymoon expired with the passage of the 2015 Budget. Going forward, three critical roles of the state over the next four years must be adhered to:
1.     Constitutional reforms: This is the biggest failure to deliver on a promise by this coalition government to date.  All the Guyanese public has been afforded so far is a photo opportunity and no substantive progress on this promise. Where is the budget and the work plan around this most important function that can set the foundation to transform Guyana politically as clearly spelt out in the Cummingsburg Accord?
2.     Stabilise and improve the economy: The overriding role of government is to improve the productive sectors and grow this economy.  This is desperately needed today as we continue to experience symptoms of economic anemia that was created under the PPP and has not healed.  Actually it has gotten worst since 2014. Rice is down, sugar is down, bauxite is down, timber is down, gold is down, seafood is down, tourism is down, manufacturing is down, and even the retail trade is down.  The only thing seems to be going up appears to be crime.
3.     Get more for less in public services: The Coalition has to improve the long-term viability and performance of public services.  But we have started off with the wrong tone since we will never motivate the nurses, teachers, police and public servants to worker harder and smarter when the chips are against them.
Teachers – The Editorial Team has no issue with Ministers being paid well, but the secretive, irrational, non-transparent and illogical process has to be rejected. If any Minister was not happy with their old salary, they can try their hands in the for profit private sector which ought to pay better.
It was Prime Minister Nagamootoo who said in 2012, when he was an AFC MP in the 10th Parliament, that the Government is not a “Dharm Shala for friends and cronies”. Where is the track record that some of these Ministers have advanced the agenda offering the people a better life to justify a salary increase?
How different is this from former President Jagdeo commandeering prime beachfront lands for his cabal with the lame excuse that this reward was for a job well done when he left a broken country?
We do not think it is irrational if taxpayers pay the Ministers 100 percent increase once the economy recovers and the Treasury can afford it.  However, what the Cabinet of Guyana illustrates is extreme pitilessness and bad political optics. This increase for the Ministers and the Parliamentarians exemplifies the deflowering of the taxpayers and has caused them to lose the moral high ground they had on the Jagdeo cabal.
The gloves are now off and the Guyanese people have to be on guard. We cannot facilitate political exchange when we were promised real change. Therefore it is only fair if the fourth estate provide the forum for the public to interrogate and question every action of this government.
The APNU/AFC Coalition promised us an overarching outcome when it met the electorate on the campaign trail. The majority voted for them because they promised: a more accountable government, more transparent government, a more agile government, and a government that is more concerned with providing the “good life” for all Guyanese, especially those at the bottom of the economic ladder.
Sadly, from all appearances it seems that the government has lost its way and thus needs an urgent political and policy retreat to consider their standing with the people.

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