Dear Editor,
My letter titled ‘Guyana barely outperformed the world’s economy from 1992 to 2012‘ (SN, Sept 22), has created an outpouring of typical obfuscatory excuses from the PPP defenders led by the now overused one that reminds us of what happened under the PNC. Let me set the record straight: the PNC wrecked the Guyana economy from 1964 to 1992. From the late 1970s to 1989, Guyana’s economy declined precipitously and this country went into the pit. But we have not lived under the PNC for the past 20 years, have we? It is absolutely fair game to question the PPP’s economic performance since it ruled Guyana for 20 years. Understandably, we do not want to return to the PNC. The PNCR and now APNU has shown us nothing from the past 20 years to suggest it will not make a mess of the economy if it regains power. But the PPP is not the only economic option. The AFC exists and while I am not a fan, it has some decent economists. Even if the AFC did not exist, Guyanese have an inherent right to question a PPP government that delivered such mediocre growth despite Guyana’s immense advantages. Simply put, the PPP has not delivered as promised and people are free to vote for a better economic return.
Also, we must remember the PNC operated a socialist economy compared to the PPP’s capitalist model. Socialist economies were all devastated by the fall of communism in the early 1990s, while capitalist economies did a lot better as a group. Further, let us be honest in admitting if the PPP was in power from 1964 to 1992, the Guyana economy would have been in the same hole as it was under the PNC simply because the PPP would have operated a communist economy. PPP defenders would not tell this country of the PPP’s role in pushing the PNC for nationalization, one of the most destructive economic policies in our nation’s history. The PPP would have failed as miserably as the PNC if it had power from 1964 to 1992.
The urge to define any criticism from the PPP v PNC mental prison is becoming childish. The world is flying by as Guyana remains locked in debt, beggarliness, handouts and criminality. Yes, there are more big buildings and houses going up, but they are not being paid for primarily by legitimate wealth creation and viable jobs. It is paid for by more Guyanese pursuing the dream of a home and a car by borrowing heavily from the banks or from increased remittances or from a thriving underground economy. Then there is the display of wealth from wealth redistribution where the PPP squeezes the working class poor for taxes and then takes those taxes and redistributes them in outlandish wages to a parallel civil service that handsomely pays PPP associates or that delivers massive contracts to contractors in a highly flawed public tendering system which lends itself to corruption. This is taking from the poor and giving it to an elite group of rich acolytes and beneficiaries. The debt, the underground economy, remittances and unequal and unfair wealth distribution have contributed to most of the nation’s growth. It is a highly unequal growth. Inequality is at its highest level.
The same applies to crime and organized crime. Legitimate wealth creation is stagnant and is regressing in many sectors. Despite the massive influx of remittances, wealth redistribution and proceeds from drug trafficking and other illegal activities, the country’s legitimate growth is lacklustre. The PNC had criminality, corruption, inequality, elitism and nepotism. It has gotten worse under the PPP. Not only are the amounts bigger, the spoils go to just a small elite. At present, we have at least US$1.5 billion in projects planned for Guyana and there is no proper disclosure of the risks inherent in those projects. The amounts potentially available for corruption in consequence are frightening.
While I believe the PNCR/APNU should not ever regain power until and unless there is serious reform to check and prevent it from ever seizing power illegally, we cannot be blind to the shortcomings of the PPP. We simply cannot shout PNC every time the PPP’s failures are raised and expect to get the fire in a crowded theatre reaction. The PPP has an obligation to improve the economic condition of the nation. It has failed to do so. Like the Americans, the economy must become the centrepiece of the Guyanese people’s political choice. Pathetic legitimate economic growth is a drag on the Guyanese people already trapped in poverty. When drug dealers, those with rich families sending remittance cheques, those getting overblown salaries at the OP, contractors earning mega-millions in profits and hardworking upper middle class Guyanese borrowing millions from banks at high interest rates are throwing up buildings, it is not a sign of development and progress. Not when the majority who are not involved in trafficking drugs or smuggling guns or dealing in contraband goods, or trafficking persons or getting large pay cheques from the government or collecting millions from shoddily performed contracts, or cashing substantial remittance cheques, or earning solid upper middle class incomes are unable to get in on the action. Have we been living under the PNC for the past 20 years? If we are to judge those who have misruled us for the past 20 years by dredging up the 28 years of misrule prior to this demeaning chapter in this country’s life, we will eternally be looking backward. Looking backward alters our ability to build a future based on reasonable and legitimate expectations. It is one of the reasons why this country remains in a cesspool. It is time to demand better from the government in front of you and to change it for the better if they don’t deliver. Time to become more American. Ask the hundreds of thousands of Guyanese who will vote in the upcoming US election.
Yours faithfully,
M Maxwell
