Dear Editor,
Under the stewardship of the PPP/C Government, Guyana’s exports are anticipated to grow by 25%, comprising of 17% rise in export prices and 8% expansion in the volume of shipments, after falling by 10% for 2020 under the APNU/AFC Government’s disgraceful regime. This data was released by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
According to the Bank of Guyana’s report, the Guyanese economy is projected to record real oil GDP growth of 20.9 percent, while the non-oil economy is estimated to grow by 6.1 percent.
Total receipts of foreign currency by the Bank of Guyana are estimated to increase to US$902.3 million, while total payments are targeted at US$838.9 million. Based on the Trading Economics Report, Guyana’s main imports are fuel, food, manufactured goods, and machinery. The main import partners are United States (21 per cent of total imports), Trinidad and Tobago (20 per cent), China (8 per cent), South Africa (8 per cent), and Cuba (6 per cent).
The Honourable President of Guyana, Dr Mohammed Irfaan Ali, recently proclaimed that Guyana imports 40 per cent of its food. Agriculture is an important productive sector which would help to diversify Guyana’s economy, and he hopes that Guyana can be self-sufficient. The President was addressing a Harvard Business School forum on Monday.
Whatever happened to these slogans: “Feed, Clothe and House The Nation,” “Be Local, Buy Local,” “Produce or Perish,” “The Small Man Will Be The Real Man,” “More Jobs, Less Crimes,” “Stronger Together For A Better Guyana,” “Putting YOU First,” “My Turn,” “Sovereignty, not Subversion?” There was a time when essential foodstuff was banned by the Burnham regime, (the current APNU/AFC so-called Party), in particular targeting the Indian community, creating havoc and chaos, hardship, and depression. This suppression by the devious dictator Burnham spawned oppression in all the Guyanese communities because the ban created a rippling effect that hurt all the races, thanks to the shortsightedness of his insensitive and discriminative advisers.
The birth of the KSI outlets to service the PNC party holders was very evident throughout the country, to accommodate the political loyalists, and the long lines were painted with pain, grief, sorrow and tears for the poor, especially the older and sickly folks. The spin-off, though, was the materialisation of overnight millionaires who emerged eventually to import (smuggle) items from overseas and caused the repercussion of black-market prices to further strengthen poverty with the small man. Foreign currency scarcity catapulted to a nightmare bargaining stage, and the country was flung into a maize for Guyanese to seek greener pastures overseas. Bribery soared to a new height, and the price control officers and Police danced to a merry tune.
Yet, the resilience of Guyanese flourished as the initiation for innovation blossomed an invitation for improvisation, imitation, and substitution. This modern thinking rationalised a trend for new products and marketing strategies to highlight the diversity and revolutionisation of Guyanese creativity, proclivity, and serendipity.
This newfound opportunity was a blessing in disguise, but its continuity gave way to complacency, as the tide turned with the dawning of a new era and the restrictions on importation were lifted. Guyanese independence implored a dependence on “the barrels and boxes” from overseas and the fluency of currency from the saviours residing abroad.
The pride of the 28-year PNC administration was not daunted, and they took refuge in the fact that corruption, the raping of the Treasury, and gross financial misappropriation formed their “Dharma.” The country sported a penultimate place of being in front of Haiti as the poorest nation on earth!
Next, Karma followed over the 23 years of PPP/C governance as stability forged a breath of relief, and law and order were controllably restored to demarcate development from disaster.
Agriculture grew a new look and the blessings of the tilled soil from love and loyalty announced fertility. The capitalisation of full advancement was curtailed because of political imperfection. The evil input of a non-cooperative PNC regime to spike the seed of development and destabilise a progressive nation fermented many projects being sidelined and silenced. The free flow of currency allowed trade to rise to a wider horizon to include the importation of styles and tastes which unbalanced the local consumption products.
Again, an informed administration’s overconfidence, compounded with negativities and adversities smiled on the APNU to infiltrate PPP/C Party’s weaknesses to combine AFC with the PNCR and outsmarted a dejected PPP/C Party. Was Caesar surprised by Brutus? All that hard work went down the drain with the despicable power drunks as they rampaged a journey of devastation to ravage rich to ruin and reduced a mansion to shambles.
Corrupt and bankrupt, a nation was held at ransom with the tyrants, led by a lamb in disguise and hiding, as they placed their knee on the neck of suffering Guyanese once again. Importation surmounted exportation, collusion at all levels corrupted administration, insularity prognosis incompetence, rules, and regulations favoured the ruling party, politics but not the people, law and order was flavored to the taste of the higher echelon who greased the palms of the wicked wolves. The backbone of a nation was broken in half as economic stagnation perfumed an obnoxious stench.
The current Government was elected via the heavy boots of the most powerful nation and a supportive international community who refused to dance to the wild tune of a rigging APNU/AFC Party. Now, here we are with the controversy of being an oil-rich maniac. Will the ruling party approve and implement some, if not all, of the aforementioned slogans to enhance the broadness and richness of this land through peace, progress and prosperity, incorporating liberty, equality and fraternity? Will self-sufficiency support efficiency to be dogmatic? Will local products insulate local content? Will Guyana once again be the “Food Basket” for the nation and the Caribbean?
Will our taste buds prioritise local consumption and a rejection of foreign digestion? Will the people’s Government reinforce the agriculture strategy unparalleled to chartered water and establish unprecedented accomplishments? Will the Government entice new and old farmers with incentives to amass humungous cash crop production so that they can rejoice with justified rewards? Will the Government pursue more channels to activate the exportation of excessive products from suppliers? Will the Government finally establish a canning industry? Will the Government avail more lands to farmers? Will the Government pay attention to unused lands and convert their dormancy to usefulness? Will the Government assert transportation efficiency and effectiveness from the hinterland to the mainland?
Will the Government ensure bribery and corruption are not part of the culture of doing business for survival? Will the Government be the change that it demands? Will the Government manoeuvre and manipulate programs to ascertain that 40% importation be a thing of the past? Will the Government improvise on oil, gold, and lumber be the primary motives to agricultural products in order for the people and not the Government avoid the “Dutch Disease?” Will the Government give local Guyanese a striving, fighting and thriving chance to remain real Guyanese by taking care of the man in the street so that they can enjoy the luxury of “Dubai” without leaving the beautiful shore of Guyana?
Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall
