Dear Editor,
The first thing to note is the AFC’s Action Plan did not (and I insist did not!) say the party will perform ethnic audits before each policy is implemented as is claimed by Mr Jason Abdulla (KN Feb 5). I believe the media cited our presidential candidate, Mr Khemraj Ramjattan, incorrectly on this matter. Mr Ramjattan’s statement is a lot more nuanced than the media reported. However, this does not mean the AFC will be unconcerned about ethnic sensitivities. Take for example the twenty-six policies the AFC will implement in the first year in office. One of them is the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act. Why would one need an ethnic audit for the FOI? There is no need for one. Every Guyanese will benefit from its implementation. Every citizen benefits from government transparency.
The AFC’s Action Plan also says clearly that a meritocratic and efficient public service has to be created in order to execute the necessary industrial and foreign policies. The party is aware that there is need for a bureaucracy that is independent, meritocratic and embedded in the interests of the masses and private businesses. Therefore, one policy to address this deficiency since the Burnham days (and perpetuated under President Jagdeo) is to hire public servants on purely merit. Moreover, a non-politician will head the public service. The Action Plan explicitly says that. There will be no ethnic consideration here. Only merit!
On the other hand, the AFC is also committed to freeing up the airwaves in the first year by allowing private radio stations. In this case, it will be reckless to offer licences to folks from mainly one ethnicity – for example rich Indians. In Guyana today we have a situation where an elected PPP oligarchy nurtured (using the tax monies of African-Guyanese, Indian-Guyanese, Indigenous Guyanese, mixed-Guyanese and others) a conglomerate of businesses very close to the Indian-dominated government. One of the business owners who benefits from the oligarchy’s benevolence and concessions is now able to establish a private newspaper and buy up an established television station. The oligarchy, furthermore, represses Kaieteur News and Stabroek News by withholding government advertisement revenues. This money belongs to the people of all ethnicities and not the elected oligarchy. The AFC will make sure that these insensitive and dangerous steps to control the media are not repeated and are reversed.
As another example, consider the two-tier ethanol policy of the AFC. We do not need to have ethnic audit statements for allowing Brazilian investors to develop the Canje Basin. A totally new industrial enterprise will be created in this case. Exports will be generated and all Guyanese will benefit from new inflows of foreign exchange as the exchange rate stays stable and more jobs are created. The second aspect of the ethanol policy is to institute a national E10 mandate to blend ethanol made by GuySuCo with imported gasoline. Here foreign exchange is saved and renewable energy manufacturing jobs are created for all citizens.
The key point Mr Abdulla misses from Mrs Holder’s letter is the economic policies of the AFC are designed to lift all citizens (this is actually stated in the Action Plan). He seems to be reasoning in Malthusian or zero sum terms where one group wins and the other loses. However, the AFC’s policies were crafted to escape from exactly this punitive trap in which Guyana presently finds itself. Therefore, Mrs Holder listed a few policies that will lift all citizens (to escape the zero sum trap) rather than some citizens as we have today. Mr Abdulla obviously did not read the Action Plan because he would have noticed that it never stated that an ethnic audit will be conducted before each policy is implemented.
Yours faithfully,
Tarron Khemraj
