Guyana’s resources can never be for one group

Feb 11, 2018 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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Guyanese woke up to a horror story this week that left many shaking their heads in collective disbelief. There it was, a half-page black and white advertisement in local newspapers, urging investors to take their money elsewhere. “Investors BEWARE, GOINVEST ELSEWHERE” it screamed, appearing on the same day that Guyana’s first oil and gas summit opened at the Marriott Hotel.
To many, the people who paid for and worked to ensure that the advertisement was published would have sunk to a new level of un-patriotism that’s rarely seen in this country, despite our age-old race, political and other differences.
No one at a time like this, when the country is on the cusp of an unprecedented level of development owing to our emerging gas and oil sector, would urge investors not to spend a dime in Guyana.
Many at the Marriott saw the advertisement and murmured, wondering what kind of political divisions could drive anyone to act in such a treasonous and anti-national way, inimical to the interest of Guyana. Who tries to do such harm to their own country?
Right-thinking Guyanese would, however, know that there are very serious implications to call for investors to “go invest elsewhere.” It requires one to think deeply about the agenda of those who had this advertisement published; knowing that if what they are asking for should truly be fulfilled, of course there would be criticism upon criticism and a loud cry by opposing forces for the removal of this government. They would claim that the A Partnership for National Unity–Alliance for Change administration has failed the people; that we have no ideas and we are unable to run this country.
This would all work well for one side. And after all their many plots, schemes and unethical behaviour to discredit this government, the only ones to lose in the end would be Guyana and its citizens. Many Guyanese are unable to travel to posh locations abroad for leisure, they can’t send their children to fancy schools abroad and if they do, they work extremely hard.
Guyanese do not have loads of money stashed in foreign bank accounts and cannot escape our slice of paradise at times when it is not so nice. Many Guyanese call this land their home. They are born here, grow up here, work, make their kids and die here. It must be stated that in many cases also, some of us love the land too much to even leave.
It is in this vein that it is understood that to call for no investment from our foreign friends spells danger for our people and economy. Every sector would suffer, not that those who publish that anti-investment advertisement in the newspapers care, but this administration does.
The airline industry, starred hotels, the mid-rated ones, city, coastal, airport taxi drivers and other transport providers. Not forgetting the Guyanese lady getting in on a catering contract; the vendor offering local cuisine like black pudding and souse which visitors love to sample. Entertainment spots which employ thousands would obviously miss out on the downstreaming and trickle-down effects of and from a lack of investment, security companies winning private contracts, radio, television and newspapers feeling the pinch on reduced advertisement levels.
Almost every industry sector one could think of would suffer badly. Investors bring much needed foreign exchange and would recommend their success to others as they travel around the world and promote their businesses on social media and other platforms. Woe the day if that call to boycott our native land becomes a reality.
But one thing is clear. That overflowing room full of investors, oil and gas executives at the Marriott spoke to the opposite effect to that treasonous call from those hiding behind that advertisement. They ignored the call and would certainly be coming back in the coming months.
We care that while at this point in the entire process of cleaning up our once drug and money-laundering-infected economy, investment, particularly foreign investment, is essential for so many reasons. Not only does it increase our country’s productivity economic and trading abilities, but it helps to create jobs, since this was a major concern for citizens when this government came into power.
Even education, training and professional areas would be affected, too, because many investors use every opportunity to upgrade persons to fill their relevant posts.  To openly make an anti-investment call against Guyana is to put the nation’s future at risk, because no investment today will undeniably leave a mark on the future.
Five years from now when this government is supposed to be growing our nation, we will be stuck in the same position because some unpatriotic, treasonous lot who believe that Guyana belongs to them would rather see it fail than run by another group.
It is obvious that Guyana’s newfound wealth has some persons edging, because they can no longer control, siphon off and enrich themselves with it. They are accustomed to stealing the country’s money and wiring it out of the country using the protection of willing financial institutions.
Guyana’s resources can never be for one group. It is the property of all our peoples. It is absurd and truly dangerous when one side believes that our country must fail if they are not in control.

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