Dear Editor,
In a column published in the Sunday Stabroek dated January 15, 2023 and entitled “Vestiges of socialism”, Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran incorrectly suggested that I complained about foreign companies “attracting workers away from local businesses”. At no point did I raise the issue of competition from foreign businesses. My request was for the government to carefully consider its intervention in the labour market as such interventions have the potential to “crowd out” the private sector (see for example https://www.stabroeknews.com/2022/12/30/news/guyana/another-1000-benefitting-from-govts-part-time-jobs-on-east-bank/).
It is ironic that complaints about distortions caused by the job creation efforts of the central government are seen as hanging on the the “vestiges of socialism”. I would submit that the reverse is true. This type of state sponsored intervention has little to do with capitalism.
For the record, I support these efforts in regions where the private sector is not struggling to fill open positions. However, creating these “jobs” is not enough. Participation in these schemes should be tied to enrollment into adult education programmes in order to improve the quality of our human capital.
“If you give a man a fish he is hungry again in an hour. If you teach him to catch a fish you do him a good turn.”
Sincerely,
Terrence Campbell
