Government should come clean on their funding obligations

Aug 31, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,

In the news daily, there is so much mentioning of fastest growing economy, richest country per capita, billions of dollars spending here and there, new projects, new business announcements, with all these billions and developments, one would think Guyana is actually the new Dubai, but the ugly truth is, the ordinary Guyanese struggle to survive, receiving only pittances from these billions of economic activities in Guyana.

Governments’ four major responsibilities are (1) engage in good business deals for the best outcome for the country (2) protect the country’s borders, institutions, and the citizens wellbeing (3) keep corruption to a negligible level and (4) provide funding to the regional governments and state entities, although Governments failed in the first three, I must commend them to my knowledge for (4) their funding obligations.

Since Guyana got regionalised under Burnham, every administration from Burnham to now Ali, have fulfilled their funding obligations as per the current process, which is, regional administrations and state entities submit a budget and receive the necessary funding to spend for the betterment for people they are responsible for, yet the lives of the people do not improve in relation to the money allocated for them.

At the regional and state entities level, these funds seem to disappear magically, mismanagement where funds are spent where they were not intended for, or funds simply sitting in the books unused, this is of no surprise to me having worked in the regional and state entity systems, I know many of the administrators never managed funding allocations, doesn’t know what a budget is, never ran a business, don’t care as it’s taxpayer funds at their disposal and never managed staff prior to their appointments due to politics, however this corruption or incompetence causes the ordinary people to suffer and its’ painful to know the Government did provide funding to solve the peoples’ problems.

Since this is Guyana’s system of getting services and infrastructure to people countrywide as the regional administration is responsible drainage, water management, hospitals, schools and roads repairs and maintenance etc. this system must change from currently failing to success immediately for Guyana to move forward, as this doesn’t matter which party is in power or how much money is allocated to regions and state entities, the Government cannot be blamed if it’s providing the necessary funding for the regions and state entities, yet the people are not getting the necessary services they need.

This time we must take a closer look at regional and state entities officials as to why funds allocated to them are not being spent for the peoples ‘benefit, these officials have been unnoticed for far too long as the Government is being blamed for all mismanagement and corruption yet, regional and state entities officials are as guilty for mismanagement and corruption living the good life, while their constituents suffer.

This creates an opportunity for some investigative journalism, from Kaieteur News, any other media house or independent journalists as to why funds allocated to regional and state entities officials, are not being spent for the peoples’ benefit, I have witnessed monitoring staff and auditors being verbally and physically abused by regional and state entities officials, refusing to produce their financial records for audit, even as they have to comply, as part of their reporting requirements, as usual they face no consequence as their backs seem to be protected by higher ups, for the betterment of Guyana this disrespectful, criminal and unethical behavior must stop and perpetrators must face the appropriate punishment.

Although I support the Government for fulfilling their funding obligations, I urge them, particularly President Ali to call out these regional and state entities officials, name names and disclose how much money was sent to them so the people can vent their anger at the right officials, so come on President Ali, for the sake of yourself , your party and all Guyanese, berate the incompetent and crooked regional and state entities officials, like you do to the people who questions you on oil blocks.

Regards,

R. David.

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