Latest update March 21st, 2025 7:03 AM
Latest News
Politicians pulling numbers out of hats to make promises seem believable – Lincoln Lewis
Kaieteur News – When it comes to the implementation of Government projects or plans to develop the Guyanese society, politicians seem to be “pulling numbers out of a hat” to make their promises more believable. General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union (GTU), Lincoln Lewis, laid out that firm conviction during his Labour Day address last Saturday.
General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union, Lincoln Lewis
Expounding on the reasoning for his commentary, Lewis first spoke to the PPP/C Government’s promise to create 50,000 jobs in five years, stating that so far, it has “brought society no hope.” Notably along the PPP/C’s 2020 election campaign trail, President Irfaan Ali had announced that the promise to create 50,000 jobs in five years would be included in the manifesto, adding that while many doubted it, even that number was too conservative. Ali had claimed that the coalition government promised to create jobs, especially for youths, but instead, the country suffered 37,000 job losses in various economy-driven sectors.
Just last week at a press conference, President Ali shed light on that manifesto promise yet again, stating that it is well underway. Ali also uttered that while job creation is pre-eminent, keeping track of the jobs created is also important. To that end, he announced that a formal data collection system is being put in place to do such.
Lewis, however, was not convinced that this plan the government is speaking so highly of is coming to fruition. He said that Guyanese are yet to hear in which sectors these jobs will be created, whether they will be short term or long term, as well as other fundamental targets. He believes that if they are to boast of these prospects, they must produce the numbers and convince the citizens that there will be proper implementation, but it is most certainly not being done.
To that end, Lewis asserted, “It appears Ali has pulled job creation and the numbers out of the American political playbook.” Further to that, he outlined that the difference with America and more specifically, its politics, the politicians are held accountable by a proactive media and civil society for the promises they make. This includes validating whether or not those promises are truthful. He also lamented that American politicians have to show exactly how their projects will be executed.
However, he does not feel like the same practice is executed in Guyana. While the nation does have an aggressive media outfit that often questions government projects and their prospects, Lewis believes that Guyanese politicians often underestimate the intelligence of the citizenry, which also includes the press. He highlighted that often when the media opts question their initiatives they are told, “a set of Nancy stories” and “(the politicians) acting as though pulling numbers out a hat would make the promise real.”
The veteran trade unionist stressed that in the other society (American) that the Irfaan Ali administration seeks to copy; their initiatives are not built on promises but are supported with proper facts on implementation. Additionally, he stated that those politicians are taken to the task and are held accountable for the promises they make, so if Guyanese politicians are to copy from America’s political playbook, then the citizens of Guyana should act like the Americans and hold them accountable.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
“One Guyana” is no less a national slogan than “Green Guyana”
Kaieteur News- The notion that “One Guyana” is a partisan slogan is pure poppycock. It is a desperate fiction... more
If Guyana’s President Ali is the “Zelensky of the Caribbean”, who is the Putin?
Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS, Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- In the latest... more
Weekend Cartoon
