Dear Editor,
Much reference has been recently made about transforming Guyana into a Dubai using petro dollars. Some even talked about Guyana being transformed into a Singapore. Guyana could be either one or even one of the Asian tigers (miracle economies). People make reference to these models without understanding them. These rapidly growing economies or city states (growing rapidly since the 1970s after having been introduced to market economics) did not emerge suddenly. How have Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, other Asian tigers, or even the Chinese dragon become what they are? It took a lot of planning and implementation of policies under visionary leaders.
The leaders of these countries sent some of their ‘brightest’ students to study at universities in western countries (America, in particular), learn their development models, and return home implementing them. Students from China, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, etc. study economics, and after graduation, they returned home. These countries did not have unplanned development. After careful studies by scholars, plans were created to emulate practical western model of development. The western democracies also provided a lot of support to the Southeast Asian nations and China enabling them to experience rapid growth. Guyana must do the same as the other successfully developing countries – study western models as well as those of Turkey, Dubai, China, and Southeast Asian countries. And then decide on a model or aspects of models that can be applied to Guyana.
I visited Singapore, Dubai, China, Turkey, Southeast Asian nations, Latin American nations multiple times since 1985 assessing their development over periods of time. Every time I visited them, I was amazed at their economic progress or development. On the other hand, I was disappointed with limited progress (growth) in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, among other Latin nations. Latin nations made progress but have not gown as fast as the Asian countries. Many have talked about Guyana could become a Dubai. Do they know what they speak if? There are positive and negative aspects of life in Dubai. If you are not an indigent (born from parents and or ancestors of the UAE) of Dubai, you are treated as a foreigner even if born in the UAE. Being born in UAE does not make you a citizen. Only Arabs of UAE can be citizens and property holders. We don’t want to limit citizenship in Guyana. Almost every big business or property holding is owned or co-owned by the Royal family in Dubai or UAE. There is no freedom of speech or freedom of religion. That is not the kind of Dubai Guyanese would want. But Guyana could emulate other aspects of life in UAE – cleanliness, sanitation, health care, state education, transportation, infrastructure, orderliness, respect for laws and rules, safety, good tech, business attraction, protection of women from male abuse, zero alcoholism, etc.
Even though Dubai and rest of UAE is an authoritarian system, everything works. There is virtually zero crime. Hooliganism is not permitted. Public drinking is not allowed. People enjoy a relatively high standard of living although current cost of living is extremely high, perhaps the highest in the world. Prices of goods and services have risen by five times from what they were fifteen years ago. Yet immigrant labourers are better off with a higher quality of life than in their home countries. There is probably five times more immigrant labourers, if not more, than locals in Dubai and the rest of UAE. Singapore may be a better model for Guyana – standard and quality of living much higher than in Dubai. Singapore also has similar pluralistic features like Guyana than Dubai. Other Southeast Asian nations are also good models. One can’t compare Guyana with other countries or suggest a model without studying or experiencing life in them. The government should appoint a team of scholars, economists in particular, to study and examine various models of development and decide what (can) would be applicable for Guyana. Guyana can approach these countries, like Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, etc., for assistance to host students to study them for applications to Guyana.
Sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram
