President Ali’s cowboy actions

Dear Editor,

I listened keenly to the latest announcements made by President Irfaan Ali, and one question continues to boggle my mind; why now? The PPP/C has been in office for the past four years, and now, with elections approaching, they are suddenly pushing a basket of goodies, clearly seeking to buy votes from citizens disappointed by their policies and the manner in which the country has been governed. Cowboy actions, indeed.

Let me state from the outset that I have no issue with the government implementing measures to benefit its people. However, I believe such initiatives must be executed in a structured and strategic manner, and not in an ad hoc fashion.

The $10 billion announced for injection into the NIS to pay pensioners who did not meet the threshold of 750 contributions; offering them a one-off cash grant based on categories outlined by the government; is, in my view, questionable. My concern is that, due to the government’s deliberate avoidance of holding regular parliamentary sittings, it becomes difficult to conduct a detailed analysis of the figures provided.

We are told 25,000 persons will benefit from the $10 billion transfer. But how accurate is that figure? No data was shared during the announcement. Who are these 25,000 individuals? What were their former occupations? How many contributions did they make to the NIS? And what amounts, if any, have they received as grants in past years?

Another announcement is that the government will now pay for eight subjects for students in both public and private schools sitting the CSEC and CAPE examinations. I recall that when I attended high school, government subsidies were already in place to assist parents with the cost of CXC exams (as they were known then), and these subsidies still exist today.

My concern here is: why was this initiative not proposed before 2025, especially considering that CXC requires all exam fees to be paid by November 2024? The 2025 Budget was approved in February, yet the payment deadline was months earlier. Am I to conclude that the government will seek supplementary funding? If so, when; especially as, according to government spokesperson Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the nation is heading into elections later this year?

Editor, it is one thing for the government to make rushed announcements, but there are those of us, like myself, who are critically analysing and questioning these decisions. It appears the government is not thinking rationally or transparently.

These are the two key issues I’ve noted from the recent pronouncements made by President Ali and Mr. Jagdeo. President Ali stated it would cost the government some $600 million to cover the CSEC and CAPE exams. But how was this figure calculated? Were provisional numbers provided for the students expected to sit these exams in 2026? Has CXC in Barbados provided subject-specific costing? At his press conference last Thursday, Mr. Jagdeo stated, “This measure was a promise made.” Editor, I did my homework, conducting a Google search and reviewing the 2020 manifesto of the PPP/C and to my surprise, I found no such promise.

It is important to remind Guyanese that our first Executive President, the late Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham; who also served as the country’s first Minister of Education, made education free from nursery to university, without any oil wealth to rely on. He had a deep passion for education and understood its vital role in Guyana’s development.

To emphasize to your readers: I am an advocate for greater benefits for our citizens. However, I once again call on the government to be accountable and responsible, using the parliamentary system to discuss these measures, where consensus, accountability, and transparency should prevail. I also take this opportunity to caution my fellow Guyanese: do not become complacent with political platitudes aimed at winning your favour. Stay vigilant!

Yours truly,
Annette Ferguson