Latest update March 30th, 2025 9:47 PM
Latest News
- Queen’s College defeats Jamaica in international debate competition
- AFC will accept 60-40 split for coalition with APNU
- Nation yet to see ExxonMobil’s US$7.3B final audit report four months after GRA instructed its release
- Govt suspends Mohamed’s security service licence
- ‘PPP hooliganism confirms they know their time is up’
NOT LIVING UP TO EXPECTATIONS
In 2015, the majority of the people voted for change, good governance and an end to lawlessness and corruption. They wanted an end to 23 years of PPP corrupt rule and they succeeded. But are there any genuine, honest and uncorrupt politicians in Guyana today? Are there any honest and fair politicians who will treat the people fairly and provide jobs for them and not only their relatives and friends?
Those who voted for change should know that it will take a long time before it will be achieved because of the slow pace at which this government operates. However, some have espoused the belief that Guyana cannot realistically have an effective government that personifies perfection in all things and represents all the people because of the race issue.
Historically, Guyana’s population has been divided along race/ethnic lines between Afro-and-Indo-Guyanese since the 1950s. Based on the recent release of the 2012 census, both the Indo and Afro population has decreased, which suggests that none of the two parties could obtain 50 percent of the votes and form a majority government without the support of the Amerindians and the mixed races.
However, the stark reality of excesses, lawlessness and massive corrupt practices of the last administration are still fresh in the minds of the people.
When one assesses the performance of the two major political parties which have dominated the political landscape of Guyana for more than 60 years and juxtapose them to the myriad of problems faced by the people, it begs the question: Is there a future for the country and the people under these parties? Neither the leaders nor their policies offer any hope for the future. But the fact is elections in Guyana are not really based on the leaders and their policies, but on parties and racial voting.
Both the PPP and the PNC have their solid bases of support thus leaving little room for third parties such as the AFC to flourish. None is more politically wiser than the other. The people are hoping for a better life and a prosperous Guyana, but it may not happen anytime soon because of a lack of policies from the current administration.
The government prides itself on good governance and pledges to stamp out corrupt practices. However, after twenty months in office, not much has changed. Instead of stamping out corruption, the government has been embroiled in several alleged corrupt practices, including the controversial trip to China, the drug bond fiasco and the D’Urban Park project, among others.
Both the D’Urban Park project and the drug bond fiasco erupted in a huge battle in Parliament between government ministers and opposition MPs during the budget debate due to the lack of answers from the government on the costs of these projects. The government has apparently made some seemingly horrible appointments that of the Ambassador of Kuwait who was convicted of fraud by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Further, the government has not lived-up to its expectations to improve the economy, create jobs, and improve the well-being of the masses. The reduction of the price of oil on the world market has not been adequately passed on to the people. And the GDP growth rate as promised by the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Bank of Guyana did not materialize. It seems that university education will be out of reach for the average citizen due to rising tuition fees and lees scholarships.
The voters must consider all these questions before casting their vote in the next election. That is the only way their votes will really count and how they will be respected by the politicians. They should vote for the party and a leader with credibility and who will inspire hope and confidence in them.
A leader who will unite the people and with the best plan to develop the economy, create jobs, stamp out corruption, reform the judiciary, and improve education and health care and would govern in the interest of all.
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