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The free-spending theory of Minister Jordan

May 25, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,

I refer to the news item widely reported in the media, that the Hon. Minister of Finance Winston Jordon regards the reduction in free spending in the Guyanese economy attributable to the curbing of illegal activities.  Does the Minister firmly believe that most Guyanese consumers were engaged in illegal activities which enabled them to ‘freely’ spend?  As I understand his opinion, free spending by the average Guyanese consumer was only achievable because that consumer was engaged in illegal activities and unlawful enterprises.  This is the only interpretation possible.  So, most public servants are money launderers and drug dealers, joined by their private sector colleagues in this underground or parallel economy in which they used to freely spend.  Most, or all seemingly legitimate business transactions before the Hon. Minister of Finance had a chance to analyse the numbers, were operating in the parallel economy.
If the Hon. Minister is not calling most of the citizens of this country criminals, then is there direct evidence that only a few were engaged in illegal activities to enable them to freely spend to such an extent that it had a direct bearing on Guyana’s economy?  Why not commission forensic investigations of these few persons?  But wait.  Wasn’t the Hon. Minister part of the budget preparation teams for successive national budgets under the PPP/C regime?  Did he provide the figures to back up his recent opinions?  Clearly, in every economy, there are those who will operate in an unlawful manner to achieve benefits and privileges.  The drug trade and money laundering activities are examples.  Are all investors suspected of dealing drugs or ‘washing’ money?
In my view, the Hon. Minister ought to have gone a little further and give examples of how the economy has contracted, since law enforcement has curtailed illegal activities to such an extent that most Guyanese consumers are no longer freely spending, which brings me back to the point that the Hon. Minister believes most Guyanese are engaged in drug dealing and money laundering.
On another point Editor, I have noticed the fervor and national pride that the 50th Independence Anniversary has brought to our country, and I applaud the efforts of the city council and central government to get the city clean and presentable for ourselves and anticipated influx of visitors.  At the end of it all, is it possible that an independent audit be done of all funds being used from the Consolidated Fund (and all other state funds) for this event, and presented in Parliament?  I ask this because I would like the people of this country to be educated on how expensive it is to clean up and beautify the environment they have destroyed by wanton dumping, littering and squatting.  They will see how much it costs to clean up after them, so it might impact on their future conduct within their environment.
Also Editor, whilst feelings of patriotism and national pride surge through my veins especially at this time, I am left to wonder at the intrinsic value of an injection of $500,000,000.00 into the Georgetown Public Hospital, or the Suddie Public Hospital, or the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.  An upgrade of much needed equipment might save a few hundred lives, or make the provision of certain services more accessible to thousands who cannot afford to travel overseas, or pay out of pocket at a private hospital.  This injection could even have been incorporated as part of the nation’s celebratory events, as a gift to its citizens.  But then, I suppose instilling national pride is just as important to a nation’s well being as a whole, juxtaposed against the actual health and well being of its citizens.
So Editor, when we ascend the all enveloping purpose-built wooden stands at Durban park come the 26th May, and cheer raucously as our leaders disembark their shiny black vehicles waving to us as they ascend their purpose built metal-framed VVIP facility, let us reflect on our achievements as a nation after 50 years of independence in the same breath as we project where we will be as a nation in the next 50 years.
Rama Bhajan Singh

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