No reason to celebrate

Dear Editor,

Let us not get too excited about the Guyana Chronicle’s article about the IMF’s report on Guyana’s projected growth for 2009 and 2010.  The same report shows Guyana as one of five countries in the Western hemisphere that is listed as a “Heavily Indebted Poor Country” in the company of Bolivia, Haiti, Hon-duras and Nicaragua.

Here are the facts from the IMF report.

Guyana’s average growth for the period 2001 through 2008 was 2.01%, compared to Honduras at 5.03%, Bolivia at 3.85%, Nicaragua at 3.26% and Haiti at 0.55%.

There is no reason to celebrate when as one of the five “Heavily Indebted” nations in the Western hemisphere Guy-ana is one above the bottom.

Yours faithfully,
Ian G. Hall