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COMMONSENSE NEEDED

Jan 07, 2017 Editorial, Features / Columnists

John F. Kennedy once said “There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction”. In this new year, we must demand a new approach to governance and do all we can to reduce crime, develop the economy, end the racial divide and move the country forward.
To do all that, there must be practical and commonsense approaches to solve problems before they reach crisis proportions. Action must be taken by those in authority to prevent a freefall of the country. The truth is, Guyana has been adrift in murky waters for some time now, but those who brought a change of government in the May 2015 election, represent a combined force that now appears to be silent, if not waning.
Today, the citizens are victims of the slow-response, no-response syndrome by the administration, rampant crime, an archaic justice system, an ill-managed civil service, poor health care, a failing education system, decaying infrastructure, and a landscape besieged by hardcore criminals who prey upon the innocent.
Excuse after excuse has been trotted out as to why those with designated responsibilities at the highest level should not be blamed for presiding over a series of failures. The high crime rate, traffic fatalities, declining production in agriculture, lack of foreign investments and mismanagement of the economy are among some of the noteworthy setbacks. Power outages are blamed on repairs to the electrical system, and poor health care and deaths from simple infectious diseases at the public hospitals are blamed on the shortage of medical personnel and drugs.
While some parts of the country have potable water, the chronic shortage in other parts is blamed on too little rainfall. Flooding in the city and other areas of the country is blamed on heavy rainfall, high tide and broken pumps, even though the pumps were working before the deluge.
Guyana, once a shining light in the Caribbean, now finds itself weighed down by an assortment of excuses. As with most things in life, this government like others shall pass, but it is alarming to think that it will have to be replaced by a force which has marginalized a large segment of the population, divided the nation along racial lines, and used the state resources to enrich themselves, friends and relatives. This is a classic case of being caught between a rock and a hard place.
However, not all has gone to waste – for example, the curiosity of the Opposition during the budget debate has highlighted some questionable issues. Without its observations, the nation might not have known about the D’Urban Park development fiasco and the drug bond scandal, among other discrepancies
The government essentially spent hundreds of millions dollars to celebrate the 50th independence anniversary while the poor are struggling to survive. Celebrate, yes, but not to the extent that the administration did when the nation cannot afford it. But it is not only about the scandals and the celebrations of independence, it seems that public funds were brazenly misappropriated in the not too distant past, and yet no one has been held accountable.
Those in authority are not being taken seriously, because all they have been doing is making lofty speeches with little or no follow-up action. It is called political grandstanding. And the people are fed-up; they have had enough of it. Going forward, we need to systematically solve the problems in all sectors. The people must have a say in the country’s affairs. So, in the new year there must be a firm resolution by everyone, not to be afraid to speak out boldly and confidently on what we expect from our leadership.

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