We, the rightful heirs, of this soil are facing an existential threat as to whether in the next decade we can say this land belongs to us and the resources therein. President Irfaan Ali, at the recently held Guyana-Canada Chamber of Commerce Dinner and Awards, made two announcements that are of national import.
One, is that Guyana no longer has available large acreage of land on the coast for development. According to Ali “the reality is that we don’t have that land now on the coast.” Two, the population, in the next seven years will move to three million. Ali told attendees at that dinner, and by extension the nation, that “this is just the reality. I’m telling you the reality of a Guyana 2030 and what we’re building, where we’re heading.”
The truth is only the PPP knows what they are building and where they are going. The nation is being taken for a ride that seems like a never ending political nightmare. After a quarter century in government, seeing the PPP at its best and worst, but more importantly seeing the calibre of leadership from Bharrat Jagdeo and his protégé President Irfaan Ali the nation cannot take anything for granted with these two.
Additionally, we cannot trust the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to show goodwill in a non- partisan way to the people of Guyana, that is save and except their supporters and those they can manipulate. And whereas I question the authenticity of information disseminated re availability of coastal land and the projection of population increase by almost 400 percent within a period of seven years and two elections (2025 and 2030), given the weakened and compromised electoral machinery , voters list and population concern for the issuance of birth certificates, it is not unreasonable to conclude the Jagdeo/Ali regime has ulterior motives, that will be exposed at a later date when they have secured their vision of coastal land control and ownership of prime real estate between them and their cronies.
Neither can we rest or be complacent about the projection of quadrupling Guyana’s population under the PPP. This is serious and I hope our various leaders in Guyana will take note and respond accordingly. The major political opposition cannot ignore this nor declare non interest in these statements. There must be an independent audit of our coastal land distribution that satisfies this nation and reviewed by the highest decision making authority in our land, the Parliament.
For the longest while population growth has remained steady- within 750,000 to approximately 780,000 due to migration and other factors. The projection that in seven short years this could quadruple should be a national concern since this projection is not based on a normal growth pattern and can only be realised in such magnitude through an imported population or one that is grossly embellished through statistical manipulation. The Opposition must take action and seek expert analysis on this, for evidently the PPP has already thought out a plan that suits their political agenda. This cannot be another, “no interest moment,” another sleeping at the wheel as Guyana moves rapidly on a roller coaster of political treachery and mismanagement.
A population of three million means Guyanese are likely to become the minority in our own land, through deliberate actions determined by a regime consciously putting systems in place to reduce us to minority status; with no protection to guarantee our survival and well-being. Journalist Adam Harris, in a recent article, stated in Region One there are more Venezuelans than Guyanese. There are other parts of this country where Venezuelans have moved in, dominated, and/or taken over. We have seen similar problems with the Brazilian population in certain communities. If this is the root of Ali’s projection, then we the people (original Guyanese) must question the government’s understanding of this impact on our country and what are their plans to deal with this population explosion and whether they have the will and capacity to do so.
We are a young nation, still struggling to forge a national culture and identity. I am seriously opposed to unplanned immigration that has no strategic purpose, at least evident to the people who are at risk of becoming a minority in their own country. Unplanned immigration places pressure on our resources, social and welfare services, education, health, schooling, waste management, infrastructure and the overall wellbeing of Guyanese and those immigrants who will form part of the population.
Unplanned immigration could also affect wages and salaries. The working class is likely to see reduced income unless we have development that enhances employment in multiple sectors. There will be foreign labour competing with locals for the same jobs. Foreigners are more likely to sell their labour below market value and willing to work under substandard conditions, without the benefits that would normally be paid and without adequate representation. Any planned immigration should be high-skilled, technical labour which we are short on. These persons must come in with a plan to train Guyanese and there must be an exit plan.
The socioeconomic well-being of the poor and vulnerable is also threatened. According to a World Bank report half the population is poor. Wages and salaries have not kept pace with cost of living nor has pension, and unplanned immigration will further erode this. Our local population is already struggling to benefit under the PPP. What guarantees do we have under mass immigration that those who arrive will not benefit more than our local Guyanese, or that they who come will not be exploited and subjected to abuse from various sections of society and individuals who seek to benefit where they see vulnerabilities.
