In Guyana, we all know about feared Dutchmen, don’t we?? Their ghosts hover about their old plantations that’s become our housing areas…waiting to pounce on the unwary. But their reputation exceeds their actual (mis)deeds, doesn’t it?? Has anyone actually been KILLED by one of these amorphous Dutchmen – except perchance from heart attacks brought on by fright?? Didn’t think so!! But, for the record, your Eyewitness still don’t take no chances!! You never know!!!
However, the fear of the Dutchmen of yore seems to’ve been replaced by another (related??) bogeyman – the dreaded “Dutch Disease”!! And no, it’s not related to Monkeypox, or COVID, or any of these other diseases sweeping the planet. This one’s the dark cloud we’re now told might just overwhelm whatever silver linings we may stumble over in our quest to strike it rich!! Seems that after languishing in the economic doldrums of post-war Europe, which was getting richer by leaps and bounds, the Dutch struck gas off their coast.
Now everyone (not unreasonably) thought that was a good thing. But something strange happened on the way to enjoying the good life they’d enjoyed back in the day when they transported and exploited African slaves on their plantations here and elsewhere for free. As foreign exchange flowed in from their gas exports, their currency – the guilder – increased in value!! That’s a good thing, no?? Well, no!! It INCREASES the price of the OTHER goods you export, and as exports decrease, manufacturing falls, wage demands rise, and more folks have to fall back on providing services. The entire economy becomes distorted – all because of the resource discovery and exploitation!!
That’s why it’s also called the “Resource Curse”. But when you think about it, ANY large, sustained influx of foreign funds could start this domino effect – and it does!! Even large inflows of aid have been shown to be a culprit!! So, let’s look into this accusation by the Opposition Finance Czar Jordan, that we’re ALREADY in the throes of a full-blown attack of Dutch Disease. Right off the bat, we gotta acknowledge that we’ve struck oil and started earning (comparatively) massive amounts of foreign currency from the sale of our 14.5% of the oil profits.
But has our Guyana dollar appreciated in value?? Not the last time your Eyewitness looked – this morning!! That’s been stuck in the low $200s to US$1 for years!! But the Opposition points to the drop in exports of our traditional goods – rice, sugar and forest products. But none of this has anything to do with an appreciated Guyana dollar – but everything to do with excessive rainfall and other production problems!! And for sure, our wages haven’t ballooned!!! While we’re diversifying!!
Gwan da side, Chicken Little!!
…constitutional changes
Step by step, the PPP Government’s inching towards “constitutional change” – as promised in its winning manifesto. And which the Opposition’s demanding: to be GUARANTEED a share of the Government, or else!! But hold it!! – wasn’t “constitutional change” also on the APNU/AFC manifesto in 2015 – which led them to pip the PPP and slide into office?? Whatever happened to that promise?? Blowin’ in the wind??
Nah…buried in the mud!! With great fanfare, right after the elections, the coalition had established a Steering Committee on Constitutional Reform, headed by Nigel Hughes. With a welter of talent on constitutions, like Haslyn Parris and Bryn Pollard, they held hearings, took submissions across the country, and, pretty much on schedule – even though Parris passed away – submitted their recommendations to PM Moses Nagamootoo in Sept 2016.
And that’s where it languished until, after much pressure from Civil Society, it was revealed by Nagamootoo that he’d invited the UNDP, which came, inquired, and made recommendations in 2017.
Yet nothing ever came out of it!!
…equity for Indigenous women
This year, the theme for International Day for Indigenous Peoples was “the role of indigenous women in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge.”
And all that was done was parade them in grass skirts.
