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In Guyana where nothing the political opposition or sections of society say matters to an obstinate government, there is still a glimmer of hope that consistency and steadfastness can make the needle shift. Two recent incidents were the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government completion of the Cemetery Road project, and the achievement of a current survey to identify the schools in the hinterland regions still using pit latrines with the aim of replacing them with flush toilets.
The Cemetery Road $475 million project was slated for completion in July 2023. One year later and hundreds of millions of dollars spent beyond budgetary allocation the project was incomplete. The completion of this project was in no small part due to the stick-to-it-iveness of Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Annette Ferguson, who was a thorn in the government’s side. She kept the issue alive in the National Assembly, and on social and mainstream media.
Early this year Public Works Minister Juan Edghill’s attempt to deflect from accountability in the National Assembly by blaming the non-completion of the project on “jumbie” did not spirit the issue or him away. His response was to a question posed by MP Ferguson. The minister subsequently promised the road would be completed by March 31, 2024. March came, nothing happened.
Ferguson, undeterred, kept pushing for answers, exposing government’s inefficiencies and cost overrun. The MP visited the area, repeatedly, and shared photographs of the project progress, or lack thereof, with the public. This public exposure resulted in a visit to the site by the minister on August 10, and a promise from him the road will be “fully completed” by August 12, 2024. On August 12, the road was not “fully completed.”
On August 14, Village Voice carried a story of MP Ferguson demanding answers from Minister Edghill. Having visited the area personally, and saw work still being done, Ferguson told this publication the minister must provide answers, including the final cost of the project, how the variance in cost was offset since Budget 2024 did not cater nor approve additional money for the project, and the names of the additional contractors and cost associated with their work on the project.
The project was finally completed more almost two weeks later than the promised August 12, 2024.
Pit latrines in schools
In oil rich Guyana, children in many public schools are still using pit latrines. According to the United Nations “a toilet is not just a toilet—it’s a lifesaver, dignity-protector and opportunity-maker.”
In early August the Opposition, the Alliance For Change (AFC) broke the news that children of Phillipai Primary School, Region Seven are using pit latrines.
Not only is the pit latrine in a dilapidated state, and a hazard to children’s life and safety, but it also shows disregard for the right to be treated with dignity. Many reacted with dismay.
The AFC flayed the government for allowing the situation to persist when Guyana is in a financial state to do better. According to the party, in a statement, despite the PPP/C’s four years (2020 to present) in office and substantial oil revenues, there has been insufficient progress in eliminating these basic sanitation facilities.
The party’s criticism was met with apparent attempt to justify the situation by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall who sought to lay the blame at the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC).
The APNU+AFC was in office from 2015-2020. Prior to that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was in government from 1992-2015. Guyana began producing oil and gas revenue in late 2019.
On August 27, Education Minister Priya Manickchand announced the education ministry survey of schools in the hinterland regions that are still using pit latrines with the aim of replacing them with flush toilets.
In polarised Guyana where the politics is toxic and government often inflexible, making sensible changes are difficult if the idea did not originate for the political party in government or its failing is exposed. Unfortunately, while in other societies the government values the people’s input, in Guyana that is not often the case.
