COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC

Jun 19, 2016 Editorial, Features / Columnists

Meeting with the Permanent Secretaries to draft plans for the various ministries suggests that the President is taking the bull by the horns. This is long overdue, but as the saying goes, nothing happens before its time.

The President seems determined to make the necessary changes needed to move Guyana into the 21st century and to fulfill his promises he made to the nation. Although some coalition partners are griping at his actions as to whom he should or should not invite to help make decisions, nonetheless, the President is on the right course.
He cannot allow partisanship or internal grumblings to derail his plans and strangle his government. As President, he is mandated by the electorate to lead the nation and not succumb to pressures from the opposition or those within the administration.
However, some in the government seem to be making a terrible mistake that press releases and public statements would be viewed by the public as actions by the government. After more than a year in office, the government has not mapped out its priorities/plans to achieve economic growth, create jobs, reduce poverty and provide a better life for all as promised.
This has now become the highest priority for the government. It has already done a good job to clean-up Georgetown, build the Jubilee stadium, restore Merriman Mall and hold Local Government Elections. Now it must keep the nation abreast of its plans or vision for the country. This should be communicated clearly to the people in order to get their support.
The government has inherited very poor, and in some cases collapsing infrastructure, decades of corruption, nepotism and partisanship which would take time to remedy but it must find creative ways to cure the ills in the country.
It has to initiate a process just as it has done with the forensic audits and the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) to prosecute those culpable of corruption; theft of the state resources; and to seize their properties to repay for what they have stolen as well as the imposition of hefty jail sentences.
No one should be above the law. It is unfair to the small man who is being jailed for petty crimes while those who steal hundreds of millions of dollars from the taxpayers are not even prosecuted.
The government has already been accused of witch hunting by the PPP but it must not allow such criticism to deter it from doing the right thing under the law.
It would also face public criticism and unpopularity if it imposes belt tightening measures to help reduce the size of the deficit in order to restore long-term prosperity to the country. But it has to do it. And while it tries to balance the finances, it must distribute the burden equitably. It must also strive to improve the structural gaps in the administration which have retarded efficiency in the public service and the development of the country.
The government has to communicate its achievements, goals, ideas and vision for the country directly to the public. Speeches, statements in Parliament and the annual budget presentation will not do it. It has to invent new ways to communicate to the public to avoid any uncertainty. It can boost its image and improve its relations with the people by establishing a live television program in order to give the public a chance to speak directly to the President and members of the cabinet on any topic of their choice.
It would be a first in Guyana and would provide a forum in which local and overseas Guyanese who would otherwise not have the opportunity to interact with them to do so. It could yield positive results to the government because such a medium goes to the heart of openness, accountability and transparency in governance.
It will also allow the Government to consistently update the public, but more importantly allowing and acknowledging feedback and suggestions which could help to enhance the quality of life in the country.

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