Dear Editor,
I am very happy and delighted to read that the UK will be providing $16b in grant funding for infrastructural projects. I then remembered that recently the Indian Government provided a sum for infrastructure development also.
As I read this article, several things crossed my mind and what keeps coming to my mind more is the need for Civil Society and Private Sector involvement in the conceptualization, consultation and design of these infrastructure projects for Guyana. The donor and funding agencies for any projects should make Civil Society and Private Sector involvement a criterion before releasing any funds to any country. Also, some of these infrastructure development projects can be Public-Private Partnerships.
I can vividly remember that when the IDB was making the funds available for the East Bank Demerara Road Expansion Project – Providence to Diamond, several public consultations were done with Civil Society and the Private Sector. Although the Grove to Diamond Project experienced major problems, at the conceptualization and design phase, Civil Society and the Private Sector had the opportunity to be part of the project and provide significant inputs. The shortcoming with this project was the lack of progress reports to the public at regular intervals along with the challenges that the project faced to meet the completion deadline during the implementation phase. The project was stalled and now has restarted and no public disclosure (correct me if I am wrong here and direct me where I can find these disclosures) was made on the extension cost, whether the former contractors got paid and how much was paid to them, liquidated damages for the breach of contracts with regards to completion date, etc.
Guyana and Guyanese have long been suffering for progressive development to upgrade their standard of living and with the involvement and inclusion of all, this can be realised earliest. For Guyana to move forward there is a dire need for the involvement of all in national development, a bottom up approach. Guyanese have to get more involved in a more formal way to have their economic and social concerns addressed. President Granger has been talking about this on a regular basis and has illustrated his commitments by having Local Government Elections held, established more Municipalities in Guyana and also gave Guyanese the assurance that he will ensure that all Regions have their own towns. He also highlighted that he would like to see Regional Government become more autonomous and all government services provided in each region. I also attended a public forum recently at the St Stanislaus College and heard the Minister of State speaking about facilitating the establishment of Community Development Councils (CDC) all across Guyana.
I think that the APNU+AFC Government has an opportunity to become a government that will have respect from citizens once they become more transparent, accountable, provide equal opportunities, respect freedom of speech and respect and adapt professional and technical opinions. Also, Guyanese with the support from donor and funding agencies can make governments become more transparent and accountable if they develop and implement policies for public disclosures and make mandatory Civil Society and Private Sector involvement in all phases of national projects.
Based on the above, the Government should start developing if they do not have one, a National Infrastructure Development Plan for the next five years with the involvement of Civil Society and the Private Sector. There should also be a framework for regular meetings and updates with regard to the implementation, execution and challenges of these projects.
In concluding, I am appealing to the Government and the donor and funding agencies to start involving Civil Society and the Private Sector on a more vibrant and constructive basis.
Yours faithfully,
Roubinder Rambarran
