Why is it that this Government can only dig holes without filling any?

Nov 14, 2019 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,

This Government’s economic policy seems to be dismissing and downsizing. I have never heard such dunce ‘economic policies’ in my life. This Government has defied all known macro and micro-economic theories and yet they are shamelessly hanging on to the reins of power!
Why is it that this Government can only dig holes without filling any?
I know as a boy growing up I heard about ‘digging holes to fill holes’ but this Government has been digging holes without filling any. Just look at Guysuco.
The Government ‘downsized’ it to ‘right size’ it and in the process they dismissed over 7,000 workers and yet Guysuco is suffering trials and tribulations to meet its miniaturized target, thanks to the Government-appointed parasite, the SPU.
The holes created at Guysuco are getting deeper and deeper with no filling in the near future. Thousands have been sent home, yet the remaining ones have not had a dollar increase since 2015, now the Finance Minister realizes that the dismissal was ‘extremely painful’. His stark realisation comes just before the Elections are due. However, according to the Minister’s ‘economic’ awakening the remaining workers should have been given lavish wages and salaries increase.
But I cannot blame him, his ‘economic theories’ are a reflection of an incompetent Government which has been squandering the taxpayers’ dollars since they lied and deceived the voters in 2015.
The Finance Minister since 2015 should know that he prepared at least 4 Budgets which amounted to over 1 trillion dollars. In 2016 it was $230 billion, in 2017 it was $250 billion, in 2018 it was $267 billion and in 2019 it was $300 billion – a total of $1,047 trillion.
I would like the public to ask themselves a most pertinent question: How much of this trillion plus has trickled down into their pockets? How have their lives improved? Are they spending less or more on the same basket of goods?
It must be recalled that the last Budget prepared by Dr. Ashni Singh was for $221 billion with all the sugar estates operational, workers given 5% wage increase, and all the benefits intact. There was no dismissal of workers and everyone was enjoying a relatively high standard of living.
The Pensioners were receiving their water and electricity subsidies, the school children were given their $10,000 grant per student and water and electricity attracted no VAT. There were no increases in taxes as well as no implementation of any new taxes. In addition, machinery and equipment were not subjected to VAT. The cost of living was stable and the standard of living was improving. People were having more monies in their pockets and were living in harmony.
Now in 2019, after spending more than $1.047 trillion, in fact while businesses are contracting and over 30,000 persons have lost their jobs, and the tax collection by the Guyana Revenue Authority is increasing dramatically, our local and foreign debts are on the rise, we import more than we export, placing our balance of payments in shambles, unemployment have risen sharply, crime has spiralled uncontrollably, poverty is on the rise and more people going to bed hungry.
More of our people are fleeing to the US resulting in families being separated, domestic and other forms of violence are on the increase, our medical care sucks, corruption and cronyism have now become endemic and the Coalition Government has shown complete disregard for the Constitution and the Rule of Law.
In addition, we the people of this country have lost all trust and confidence in the ability of this Government to transparently spend and account for our monies. The Auditor General Reports bear testimony to the countless opaque transactions and lack of basic accountability.
It must also be noted that all the public enterprises have been performing poorly and at great losses, but the Finance Minister is mum on ‘downsizing’ these entities. It is no secret that since this Government took over, these entities have been subject to massive political interference which have precipitated this downward spiral.
Yet this caretaker Government has been trying since December 21st 2018 to stifle the voice of the people by using all tricks in the PNC Playbook to postpone the Elections which is now due by proclamation on March 2nd 2020. However, I will only believe this if Granger dissolves Parliament on December 2nd.
I will conclude by reiterating that the Finance Minister and his Government have failed the Guyanese people who have been continuously receiving less and being demanded to pay more and more!
Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf

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