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Slow progress

Nov 25, 2024 Editorial, News

…Editorial 

Kaieteur News- When you speak to Guyanese who lived here through the seventies and eighties, they tell you that the experiences then are once again becoming common fare. Extended power outages, inadequate potable water supply, high crime rates, and an increase in social deviancy are just some of the problems that are now signalling the failure of official policy.

We see daily more roads are being built and trucks busy on our already crowded streets, but citizens are not even safe walking on the pavement.

Things that would normally take seconds in a developed country, such as filling a large bucket of water, take hours in some parts of Guyana, and often involve backbreaking efforts. After decades under the rulership of the PPPC/ and PNCR, the water pressure in most homes is not enough to take water waist-high on the ground floor, much less to reach the upper floors, as it once did under colonial Guyana.

Electricity was one of the strong points of the Cheddi Jagan Administration. He was able, within a short period of time, to bring in extra generating capacity through Wartsila, and thus stabilise the erratic supply to the Guyanese public. Today it is as if we do not have a national power company. Just yesterday citizens across the country were faced with hours of blackout due to a shutdown of the system. And this is happening after billions being pumped into the Guyana Power and Light and further billions to rent two powerships from a company mired in controversies.

It now seems that Guyana has returned to the glory days of load shedding and that we are in for difficult times. In the difficult days of the seventies and the eighties fear prevailed throughout the country, none more so than the fear of criminal violation.

Despite the tremendous efforts made to reduce crime in Guyana, and especially the successes in dismantling major criminal networks, there continues to be worrying incidents of crimes involving the use of small arms. This has, of course, once again raised fears in the society about security and safety. Social deviancy has also become pronounced. Drug use is increasing and destroying the bodies and minds of many able-bodied Guyanese who, suffering from addiction, have limited avenues for redress or help. Domestic violence is out of control and despite all the programmes and workshops, this scourge has not been contained.

In addition, those woes, in this oil-rich republic the number of beggars on the streets is increasing each day, and so too, are the numbers of children forced to take to the streets to make a living. Life in Guyana is becoming short, nasty and brutish. We urge the Government to seriously consider whether its style of governance, dominated by an over-centralization of decision making, sleaze and one-upmanship is not one of the main contributing factors involved in the failure to move our country forward.

Most Guyanese do not ask for much. They do not ask for a car for each household, or for the latest gadgets to adorn the interiors of their homes; they do not ask for the luxury of foreign vacations, or even the chance to shop at Macy’s. Most Guyanese want secure jobs that would guarantee the breadwinners of homes pensions at the end of their working lives, a roof over each head, an adequate supply of potable water, reasonably priced and assured electricity supply, cheap food, and a decent healthcare system. Most Guyanese would be happy if the Government can provide the basics and leave the rest to the private sector. After 27 years under a PPP/C government since 1992, the supply of the basic social services remains inconsistent, too erratic for comfort. Better can and must be done by the Government to ensure good water and electricity services and a safe environment for citizens to thrive.

(Slow progress)

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