NEW YEAR PROSPECTS

Jan 13, 2019 Consumer Concerns, Features / Columnists

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PAT DIAL

The world has just entered the New Year 2019. Consumer advocates have always welcomed the New Year as presenting the opportunity for a better life, not only by correcting the mistakes of the past year but also by being creative in the New Year.
At the end of last year, Parliament on the basis of a no-confidence vote, decided in effect, to have national elections earlier by almost two years. These national elections are scheduled to be held in the first quarter of the year.
The Guyanese electorate has shown a great deal of maturity; they are not becoming excited or excitable with the approach of national elections as used to be the case even ten years ago. And it seems that all the stakeholders, though concerned and involved, seem to be quite calm as obtains in developed countries in similar circumstances.
On the other hand, the no-confidence vote is being challenged by the governmental parties and if the grounds are found to be valid, then the situation would be regarded as having returned to the status quo and there would be no new elections.
The populace looks forward to Constitutional Reform which will enable all political parties represented in Parliament to participation in government so as to bring about greater political cohesion resulting in greater national unity. Guyana in 2019 will then be on the road to closer social and political unity and a happier country.
The Economy has again begun to grow and the international financial institutions have predicted growth to a respectable 5.5%. There would be more employment and greater involvement of young people in small industries.
Many new opportunities for acquiring new skills by young people have already been presented and it is expected that they would begin to take advantage of these opportunities.
The ICT culture has been intensified by giving laptops to school teachers and by the extension of computer teaching in the school system and by the establishment of hubs countrywide. These measures have laid the foundation of an ICT revolution. An ICT revolution would have far- reaching effects on the economic prosperity of Guyana and bringing the country into the modern world.
The Health System had shown improvement in 2018. It is expected that the same tempo of progress will be made in 2019. The methods of acquiring drugs for the Health Service have been improved and shortages are rare. New surgical operations were being performed and the complement of doctors is adequate. The Guyana Health Services compare very favourably with those of most developing countries.
The Education System will continue to improve in 2019. The intake of the Teachers’ Training College has been growing and there has been curriculum reform so that Guyana’s schools could keep abreast with the best in the Caribbean.
School buildings have been kept in good repair and every effort is made to have all schools fully equipped. One notable reform has been the introduction of the teaching of Amerindian languages in some schools in the predominantly Amerindian districts.
A Commission of Inquiry into the Georgetown Municipality had been appointed under the chairmanship of a distinguished retired judge. Over many years now, the City of Georgetown had been declining in every way – in its physical environment, in its drainage, in its administration, in its accountability.
It had earned the reputation of being one of the worst managed cities in the world. The Justice Kennard Commission which Government had appointed was meant to provide an agenda for the renewal of the City and it is expected that in 2019 the reforms will commence in earnest.
It is hoped the City Council would be able to enlist the talents and advice of able citizens in this movement to renew the City. Resuscitation of the Friends of Georgetown Committee would help in this regard.
There have been attempts to produce a national cultural policy and the statements of Ministers of Government and officials have invariably pointed to the need for a plural national cultural policy. It is hoped that in 2019 a comprehensive national cultural policy would be adumbrated.
Most progressive countries have moved away from having one over-riding culture in the nation; the current wisdom is that a plural cultural policy results in a richer national culture and greater national unity.
The Guyana-Venezuela border controversy had made some progress towards a solution in 2018 when Guyana referred the matter to the International Court of Justice.
Venezuela has however refused to participate in the Court though referral to the ICJ was part of the Good Offices Agreement which had been made shortly after Guyana became Independent. The recent threat by the Venezuelan navy to the Exxon-contracted ship working in Guyana’s territorial waters evoked the United States affirming Guyana’s sovereignty over its territorial seas and the CARICOM countries reiterating their support for Guyana. It is expected that in 2019 the matter would make further progress towards a solution.
The prospects for 2019 are optimistic.

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