Latest update March 20th, 2025 5:10 AM
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A OR F GRADE IS NEITHER HERE NOR THERE
It is not easy to assess the performance of the government which has been in office for only 20 months, so for the president to award an “A” grade to his cabinet is far from reality. No government deserves an “A” grade. But for the opposition leader to award an “F” grade to the government is ridiculous. It means that the government is a total failure, which is not the case. There are, of course, several areas to assess the performance of the government, but the most critical is the economy, crime and corruption, which many believe are intrinsically linked. On crime and the economy, the government has not done well, albeit it inherited a failing economy and a high crime rate from the last administration. Not to mention corruption, which was rampant at every state agency and department under the last administration.
The economy is ailing and this is particularly noticeable within the business community, which has experienced its lowest retail sales during the last twenty months. The future for some workers in the retail sector seems bleak. Almost all the sectors, except for the mining sector, are in decline. The country’s three main foreign currency earners, bauxite, sugar and rice are rapidly deteriorating. Confidence in the business sector is waning and many are less upbeat about the country’s future development prospects, which could have a negative effect on the population.
Guyana is saddled with problems, but it is not alone. We must be realistic. Every country, developed and underdeveloped, has problems, some of which are solvable and others are not. However, most of the problems facing Guyana are solvable. They include low productivity, high crime rate, high unemployment, corruption, and lack of foreign investments and in some cases, a shortage of skilled personnel. Not to mention homelessness, which is prevalent in almost every country, with the United States leading the way among the developed countries. It is estimated that 174,000 people are homeless in New York City. Other problems facing Guyana are the constant power outages, inadequate water supply and high traffic fatalities.
Despite the constant criticism of the government from the opposition, it should be noted that the government inherited most of the problems from the last administration. However, it seems that the government has not fulfilled some of its key campaign promises such as being transparent and accountable. It is shrouded under secrecy.
In addition, the government is embroiled in several scandals, including the drug bond scandal, the controversial trip to China and the recent sole sourcing of over $600 million by the Ministry of Health and a few others which are of concern to the people. Public outrage continues to mount over the parking meter fiasco which is likely to be suspended for three months, the 14 percent tax on electricity and water, poor health care services, the constant power outages and the inadequate water supply. The Government appears incapable to deal with these issues.
If the government is serious about improving its performance and provide a better life for all, it should make its development strategies known to the public, so that the citizens could understand its plans. It should also create an environment for business to flourish and engage the wider public in the fight against crime. These should be done with the same zeal that was used to celebrate the country’s 50th independence anniversary.
Further, the government should develop a long-term economic trajectory so that investors can understand that its policies will transcend governments, that they will be long-lasting in order to convince the investors that they will recoup their investments within the planned period. It will be an extremely important signal to all investors that the country is serious about protecting their investments. Our hope is that the Government will embark on this path, as it can only redound to the benefit of the country, the poor and the unemployed. That said, an “A” or an “F” grade is undeserving and is neither here nor there.
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