Dear Editor,
The PPP/C and PNC-AFC Governments do not own the resources of this country, it belongs to the Guyanese people. Governments are merely representatives who are elected or hired by the people to manage the country’s institutions and oversee the economy. Simply put, their job is to ensure long-term or sustainable improvement of the standard of living or quality of life of the people. Now, having said that, the public-school cash grant being termed “Because We Care” is facetious because the money does not belong to the PPP Administration. While the stipend is in itself good, let us also be realistic, US 90 dollars a year is inconsequential or almost pointless. What would have greater impact in such a poor country is the reintroduction of school meals. Healthy brain development for a normal life requires ample nourishment. Too many children in Guyana don’t have enough food to meet their daily dietary requirements. One the other hand, scarcity of basic jobs; low wages; high taxation on income and commodities; high electricity rates; non-existence of manufacturing industry and reliance on imported essential commodities and food; costly education fees at the university; the stress of transacting essential public services; and the stress on commuters from having to use only minibuses for public transport (inhumane and backwards), are what ACTUALLY keeps Guyanese poor and constantly under pressure. It is no wonder Guyana always has the highest rates of outward migration and suicides, globally. There is no organisation of priorities and no indication that either Government recognises the reality. So let us not pretend or debate over US 90 dollars per person per annum, but instead face up to the deeper reality and begin to fix it.
Yours truly
Joshua Faria
