Opposition flays Govt’s concentration on infrastructure spending whilst ignoring workers, ordinary citizens, small businesses

The Opposition, a Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), is flaying the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government’s concentration of infrastructural development as other components of society are left unattended.

The Opposition noted “despite all the possibilities massive oil riches now provide, the PPP chooses to spend taxpayers’ money on infrastructure in a wild, unplanned and corrupt manner. Guyanese under the PPP continue to experience high cost of living and high unemployment thus living unhappily, entrapped by poverty, unfairness, hunger and want. Clearly, the focus of the government is not on the development of the people of Guyana.”

According to the Opposition, pathways to prosperity for ordinary Guyanese, for most workers in the private and public sectors, small businesses and to higher education are non-existent under the governing party.

The coalition opposition has defined prosperity, as articulated in the Guyana Constitution, at Article 40 (1), which states among others: “Every person in Guyana is entitled to the basic right to a happy, creative and productive life, free from hunger, ignorance, and want.”

The full statement follows: –

NO PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY EXIST FOR ORDINARY GUYANESE AND THEIR FAMILIES UNDER A PPP REGIME

We have noted that the PPP government observed the third anniversary of its installation with newspaper full-page ads of photo montages of mostly infrastructure projects. However, the Stabroek News Editorial on that day, aptly captured the national sentiment when it stated (to paraphrase): aside from sporadic handouts which are given as if they are the property of those in power, little else has been done to address the plight of the poor and less fortunate.

With oil revenues now providing a steady and substantial income into the national treasury over the last three years, ordinary Guyanese still cannot see any pathway to prosperity for themselves and their families. By prosperity, we mean what is articulated in the Guyana Constitution at Article 40 (1), which states among others: “Every person in Guyana is entitled to the basic right to a happy, creative and productive life, free from hunger, ignorance, and want.”

Despite all the possibilities massive oil riches now provide, the PPP chooses to spend taxpayers’ money on infrastructure in a wild, unplanned and corrupt manner. Guyanese under the PPP continue to experience high cost of living and high unemployment thus living unhappily, entrapped by poverty, unfairness, hunger and want. Clearly, the focus of the government is not on the development of the people of Guyana.

Under the incapable and crooked PPP regime, no ordinary Guyanese today can see a pathway to prosperity individually or for their families—because no such pathways exist. For example:

(i)            NO PATHWAY TO PROSPERITY PRESENTLY EXISTS FOR MOST WORKERS THROUGH EMPLOYMENT IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS

Wages and salaries of most public and private sector employees are not enough to make ends meet. High prices for food, rent or mortgage, transportation, utilities, private school lessons, good health care, childcare, etc, have trapped many Guyanese workers into being the WORKING POOR.

Under a PPP regime, Guyana will not join countries such as Kuwait and other oil-rich Gulf States where public sector employment is a pathway to a decent and comfortable standard of living for their citizens. Under a PPP regime, a job or career in the public service will still leave many Guyanese below the poverty line or economically vulnerable. Wages and salaries are still way below a livable income. This is noteworthy since under the APNU+AFC, without oil resources workers gained more than 70% increase in their wages and salaries.

The PPP regime has shown utter disregard for the plight of the working class and working poor in Guyana. Salary increases are always cloaked in uncertainty and in government bad faith and political shenanigans. When increases are eventually announced, they are below the inflation rate and therefore not enough for workers to overcome the country’s high cost of living and the large debts owed. The PPP’s approach guarantees our workers a life of poverty.

A coalition government will ensure there is a pathway to prosperity through hard and dedicated work for the country’s public servants, teachers, nurses, disciplined forces, and low-level private sector workers.

(ii)          NO PATHWAY TO PROSPERITY PRESENTLY EXISTS THROUGH SMALL BUSINESS OWNERSHIP

Small businesses can become a major pathway to prosperity for many individuals and households in Guyana. In many developed economies, most of the businesses are small, but they still constitute a source of considerable employment and GDP output.

For the micro-to-small business sector in Guyana to flourish and to serve as a pathway to prosperity for individuals and households, the sector must have ready access to markets, grants, soft loans, set-aside contracts, technical support, and tax and other concessions. These measures will be undertaken by the next coalition government.

Just as crucial, Guyanese citizens must have the level of income to invest in such businesses or to serve as their regular customers. The more spending power or disposable income in the hands of Guyanese, the more flourishing will be the small business sector and the Guyana economy generally. Therefore, the high levels of poverty and economic insecurity under the current PPP regime will continue to strangle growth and opportunities for small businesses.

In short, the ad-hoc and inadequate measures by the PPP regime will not convert the small business sector into a pathway to prosperity for many Guyanese.  A more cohesive and holistic approach is needed (starting with greater and easier access to grants and soft loans). But all of this is beyond the competence and vision of the PPP.

(iii)       NO PATHWAY TO PROSPERITY PRESENTLY EXISTS THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION

Our university and other graduates of tertiary institutions continue to migrate at the first opportunity. Attracting and retaining skills in a developing country such as ours are undoubtedly major challenges for any government. While a government can do nothing about the strong pull factors that exist in the developed world, the PPP has exacerbated the push factors of the Brain Drain. They have failed to offer attractive salaries, benefits, and work conditions. They continue to politicize and deprofessionalize the workforce and to show open hostility towards the working class.

Even as we work to raise salaries and benefits for graduates of the university and other tertiary institutions, a coalition government will ensure that this category of Guyanese, like all other categories, feel respected, appreciated, and needed. Stopping the Brain Drain is a monumental task, but we are confident that a coalition government can do much better to create a pathway to prosperity for citizens with tertiary education.

(iv)        NO PATHWAY TO PROSPERITY PRESENTLY EXISTS THROUGH FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS

Under the PPP regime, few pathways exist for those Guyanese who may wish to supplement their income or establish a livelihood through financial investments in stocks, government bills and bonds, and business partnerships and associations. The next Coalition government will create such opportunities.

While there is no opportunity for ordinary people, the PPP is distributing Guyana’s wealth to its elite, friends, families and favourites. Ordinary Guyanese of all ethnic groups are experiencing economic challenges and marginalisation and can see no pathway to prosperity. Guyana is now governed by a wealthy PPP elite group at the expense of the masses of ordinary Guyanese people.

The coalition will implement our People-Centred Development Strategy (PCDS) which will provide several pathways for ordinary Guyanese to earn enough and more to live a decent and comfortable life. We will create an opportunity society where people can choose the best pathways to earn livable incomes and establish economic security. We will ensure that economic growth and development will be inclusive, where no citizen is excluded by virtue of poverty, deprivation, unemployment and underemployment, low income and no savings, social marginalization, and ethnic, political and economic discrimination.