Dear Editor,
Now that the political dust is beginning to clear, it is imperative that the new government gets down to doing what governments are supposed to be doing based on the explicit social contract they made at elections: people vote them in office and elected officials are expected to implement the programmes in their Manifesto. The latter can be summarized as basically providing public security and public welfare.
With the latest police figures on crime confirming what the local newspapers had been reporting since the new leaders took over the reins of government – an increase in every category of “serious crimes” – combined with just as consistent reports on a slowdown in the economy, the government will have to move beyond politicking to improve conditions in the two areas by which their performance will be judged at the next elections.
Within that context, I believe that there needs to be more specific plans for combating crime than the mere regurgitation of “strategies” which have been outlined decades ago. The government should look beyond “one-upmanship” politics and reexamine, for example the very specific 15-point Crime Plan the former President spelled out at the last Police Officers’ Conference in early March. Why re-invent the wheel, just because “the other party” crafted one before?
On the economic front, the collapse of the rice industry is a real possibility with the Venezuelan government refusing to renew the contract with Guyana for 200,000 tonnes of rice and paddy. We already know the sugar industry is on the ropes. It was therefore with some relief that I read of the recent statement of Minister of State, Joseph Harmon referring to the Caribbean Premier League: “Guyana is not only a cricket loving country but a cricket crazy country so we have every reason to welcome the CPL back to Guyana. I want to reaffirm the government’s full support for the CPL specifically, and cricket in general.”
As a Guyanese and a “cricket lover”, the CPL must be commended for at long last facilitating the West Indies in reaping concrete financial benefits – in addition to the emotional ones – from our special brand of cricket. In the three years the Tournament has been around, the crowds have grown increasingly larger – in the grounds and in front of the TV screens. In our Guyana, the CPL is practically the only live cricket that can be enjoyed.
With the other Caribbean Territories possessing and developing a long-standing tourism industry much longer than we have, it is obvious that they have seen the benefits of “sports tourism” much clearer than we have. Guyanese officials like Minister Harmon do not have to guess about these benefits. Solid studies, accepted by the other participating governments have quantified how much economic activity has been engendered in the respective countries.
One newspaper recently reported that Guyana raked in about US$24 million out of an overall US$166 million for the Caribbean. This is an impressive return for the investment this year of US$500,000 for what will surely garner an even greater return. The point that is being made is that while Minister Harmon alluded to the owner of the local Guyana Amazon Warriors as a supporter of the Opposition party, we as a country have to look at the bigger picture and appreciate that the Team, is first and foremost a Guyanese team. In addition, boosting the moribund economy by supporting the team will be doing more than any single event – including, with all respect, the inauguration – to bring the country together after a most contentious and divisive political campaign.
Yours faithfully,
Baytoram Ramharack
