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A new fad in Guyana’s presidency is President Irfaan Ali’s preoccupation with publishing books and promoting them on the international scene. Last Saturday, Ali was at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford in England hosting a launch event for his newest book, “Achieving Global Food Security: The Caribbean Experience and Beyond.” What would usually be seen in democratic societies as a corrupt practice, unacceptable, and using incumbency for personal enrichment and favour, Guyana’s president operates unconcerned.
Usually, after leaving office, individuals are involved in writing books, establishing foundations and giving paid speeches. Another reason for this is that incumbency can be seen as, and is often the case, using the state’s influence to buy and acquire favours and compromise the integrity of the office and local laws.
Wherever the president goes to promote his book, the state has to finance his passage, security and all expenses. One commentator told Village Voice News even if some of the president’s expenses are paid for by other agencies, promoting his books can be seen as using the office of the presidency to get these concessions.
In the United States there is a scandal involving New York Mayor Eric Adams for allegedly using his influence to bypass City laws and acquire favours. He is presently facing federal charges for bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy and soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals. While Adams, who pleaded not guilty, may be in the news now he is not the most recent.
‘Food items must be looked at, then left behind by the many with a pit in the stomach’
As the president promotes his book that reportedly offers advice to address challenges surrounding global food security many Guyanese, in Guyana, go hungry and are forced to make the tough choice of foregoing a meal to pay a bill. According to a recent World Bank Report, approximately half of the population is poor and lives on less than US$5.50 (GY$1200) per day. Two characteristics of poverty are hunger and malnourishment.
Stabroek News has a weekly feature that focuses on the cost of living. Many, recounted to that newspaper harrowing stories of depriving themselves because they cannot afford the high food prices. Within the last two-three years prices on some basic food items have skyrocketed to much as 100 per cent and more.
GHK Lall, a columnist in the publication, recently addressed the issue. His assertion is that food is the driving fear factor, for the average Guyanese, and “its prices a stake in the heart of those at the bottom of the local economic pyramid.” Lall pointed out what many face daily, that is, “Food that has to be done without. Food items that must be looked at, and then left behind by the many with a pit in the stomach.”
Bemoaning the condition for ordinary Guyanese, Lall said what is happening to the poor, working class men and women in Guyana shouldn’t happen to a dog. This is the suffering nature of the food condition, the human condition, of too many Guyanese, he noted. The columnist was responding to the government’s boast that the economy grew by 49.7 percent for the first half of the year. This growth still sees many hungry. Meanwhile President Ali is on the international scene, promoting books, and dispensing advice to achieve food security while in Guyana the story is one of food deprivation, hunger and malnourishment.
