…as “sweet medicine”
Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman insists his Government’s 2017 Budget is “bitter medicine”. The metaphor being that even though the budgetary measures may be painful to the Guyanese public, it’ll help cure their economic woes. But that’s the fly in the ointment, isn’t it? Even the Government’s apologists like the PM’s shill couldn’t identify credible examples of where particular “bitter” measures will actually help with growth and development.
Take the removal of numerous basic items from the “zero rated” basket that will now have their VAT inputs passed onto the consumer in the form of higher prices. How will this help cure the “illness” of poverty that afflicts the majority of Guyanese? But even though so many commentators have flogged this horse, Prezzie and his Finance Minister insists the horse is already dead and flogging won’t accomplish anything. The aforementioned Resource Minister advised Guyanese to quit whining and get on with drinking the bitter medicine!! In other words, like it or lump it!
It doesn’t seem to’ve crossed the collective minds of this PNC-led Government that their “bitter medicine” might actually be the “wrong medicine” and could actually harm the body politic by stifling economic growth! But another thing that has troubled your humble Eyewitness is while the Government might be making the wrong decisions to generate economic growth because they’re simply clueless about these matters, why is it they’re so accommodating to corruption which also has the same malignant effect on growth and development?
This is such a proven relationship that your Eyewitness has no need to rehearse the data from across the underdeveloped world that exposes corruption’s role in maintaining that underdevelopment, does he? He thought not! But with corruption, the Government in general and Prezzie in particular cannot plead ignorance. For years, they flagellated the PPP for allegedly “siphoning off” billions and billions from the national treasury through various and sundry corrupt practices.
In fact one recurring decimal in the corruption charges by the parties now constituting the Government was that the PPP practiced “cronyism” in awarding contracts. But here it is they’ve now been so many crony practices that have hindered development one just can’t keep counting – but are allowed to pass without official comment. Importing chicken? Importing fuel? Collecting unaccounted hundreds of millions for Jubilee Stadium? Approving a PPA for a wind farm to an AFC “political investor”? And of course the infamous pharma warehouse that still hasn’t housed a single tablet after almost 0 million has been shelled out!!
If you want to understand how corruption inhibits development, just think what all that money for a TOTALLY unnecessary warehouse could’ve done for some poor people.
Yet the charade goes on!
…from the start
So when was it the “corruption rot” started with this Government? From its very conception, when the AFC broke its word to its supporters that – unlike other small parties – it would use its Parliamentary seats as a swing bloc to influence both the PPP and the PNC. However, the sordid reality is they NEVER, EVER reached out to the PPP to find a common cause. Their mission was summarised in the words of one of the AFC’s founders – Raphael Trotman: to appose, expose, and depose the PPP. We later heard Raphael Trotman had a secret pact with David Granger, then only leader of the PNC, just before the elections.
It is this sort of deceit on political motives – which has to be part of a wide conspiracy among those in Government – that is the beginning of the slippery slope of ethical positions that are taken opportunistically when it comes to other matters. Like awarding themselves a 50 per cent salary hike, and only 10 per cent for Government workers.
If that’s not corruption, what is?
…to the end
If Prezzie doesn’t step up to the crease and make an example of even ONE of those who’re so gratuitously corrupt, then his Administration will certainly return Guyana to the Burnhamite denouement.
Absolute despair and wretchedness
