Many years ago, the late Dr Ptolemy Reid told an audience that people are more important than things. Some perhaps saw it as a useless statement. They simply did not understand what Dr Reid was saying. Some thought that it was a given—a known fact– that people are more important than things but they never expected that life in Guyana, today, would bring home the stark reality.
Guyana found a lot of oil in 2015. Exploration began in earnest in 2019. When the returns from the first well were projected at 400,000 barrels per day people smiled. Trinidad in its heyday was producing 100,000 barrels per day. Money began to flow. At first the obvious fact stated by Dr Reid was expected. The government had other intentions. The nation heard about infrastructure. There were roads, house lots that came at a cost, beautification projects and in some cases, more roads.
The people were never the targets of any financial expenditure. There were what became known as cash grants, money in lieu of COVID relief, part-time employment lasting 40 hours per month worth $40,000, and of course, an increase in the old age pension. None of these things improved the living conditions of people. The cash grant provided no more than a week’s supply of food. It certainly could not pay one month’s rent in an entire year. The old age pension increase worked out to $167 per day.
Of course, that could buy, on a daily basis after much begging, a small parcel of bora. The next day, no more than two boulanger. The third day the person would be able to procure a quarter pound of tomatoes, and one the other day close to two pints of rice. The remainder of the pension would provide the cooking gas, nearly $5,000 because not many people can find wood to start a fire. Forget rent and transportation. After all, there are roads that facilitate walking.
Public servants once considered the engine of the government operations have been ignored as have been the teachers who are said to be the people to ensure the future of the country. The nurses who are there to provide succor to those who are infirm, have it worse. But people have choices. The nurses are being gobbled up overseas. Some are in the Caribbean, and many are further afield earning what for them is more than a living wage.
And believe it or not, the government is complaining about the defection. I read somewhere that Guyana is turning to Cuba for nurses. Heaven help Guyana. When the first Cuban doctors came, they could not understand the patient hence there were some really screwed up diagnoses.
The nurses would be no better. This reminded me of a story at a hospital. There was the patient who heard the doctor tell the nurse to give the man two tablets, four times a day. The foreign nurse gave the man four tablets two times a day. The man complained only to be told that he did not look the worse for wear
On the other occasion he heard the doctor tell the nurse to give the man one enema every two days. The nurse gave the man two enemas every day. When the big day came the doctor told the nurse that she could now go ahead and prick the boil. The patient took his own discharge.
Not so long-ago Guyana imported teachers from Sri Lanka. The greatest outcome was that the pupils became accustomed to teachers speaking English with a Sri Lankan accent. But the Sri Lankans were treated and paid better than the locals. Many got residential quarters. What is surprising is that President Irfaan Ali, at the end of last year, promised to address the salary anomaly in the case of teachers and nurses. He did so for policemen in what was seen as a case of the saying, ‘Uneasy is the head that wears the crown’.
Contractors also have it rough. Unskilled labourers are calling for some interesting pay. The result is that the cost of a housing construction programme is going through the roof. There were some young people who saved to build only to find that the cost outstripped their income and savings.
Even some of the so-called enhancement programmes are being hit.
Last week the nation heard that a contractor is finding it difficult to get labourers to work in the Le Repentir cemetery. The word is that the programme is being affected by supernatural forces that make the workers sick. One is left to wonder about the Pandits, the Moulvis and priests in the society, if there cannot be a consortium to banish these supernatural forces once and for all. Even the Works Minister professes to have a Divine calling that places him above the majority of Guyanese. He is a Bishop. But then again the Good Book speaks of false prophets. I can picture him running away after a confrontation with a supernatural force in Le Repentir.
At the same time many people are receiving the house lots and providing excellent photo opportunities for the government. They will be left with nothing but the land. The last time around the government was making a lot of noise about repossessing the land if the lots remain unoccupied. Some people actually sold the land to the more affluent in the society. They were happy just to collect the few dollars. And it made economic sense to the seller. That is the much touted housing drive.
The government will distribute 50,000 house lots in five years. In the language of the people in the know, that means giving 40,000 lots to the already rich who will further exploit poorer people. More money for the rich.
People should be more important than things. At present, they are not.
