Dear Editor,
Wherever you go in the country and speak to business people, large and small, you will be told the same thing: business has slowed to a stop. Many small businesses have been closing their doors because of the fall in people’s purchasing power.
This is a clear indication that the economy has stagnated and is even in decline. Thousands are losing their jobs daily.
The current news reports are mainly focused on the tragedy of the sugar workers, thousands of whom have been sent home even without severance pay. This is by far the worst incident of job losses. Another demonstration of this is the regime’s disregard for our laws.
However, many workers and self-employed small loggers in the timber industry were also pushed out of employment. This was caused by the Barama Company having almost totally closed. The BaiShanLin company was forced out of business, leaving hundreds unemployed. The impact is felt all over.
Some stores in Georgetown have had to lay off workers, while others have had to stagger them. This is creating under-employment. Many are not able to find work for the whole week.
Even the gold sector, where some growth in income was registered, is seeing a contraction in employment. Big companies have laid off persons, while small miners and even some medium scale operators have been pushed out of the industry. This is due to the withdrawal of duty-free concessions to them for machinery and equipment which they had enjoyed under the PPP/C Administration.
So much for the Government’s talk about small business growth. All hogwash! People are hurting seriously.
However, there is one area that has been experiencing some significant growth, security guards. A run through of the press since the “Change” took place would show this. More new security companies have come on the scene. They have been advertising for guards. This is practically the only form of employment in our country today which is growing.
Some of the security companies that were advertising include Professional Guard Services Inc., R.K. Security, Queensway Security Services Inc., Delta Security Services, BAMS Security Service, GEB Security to name a few. These companies have had several advertisements.
Outside of the security companies, many companies have been advertising for their own security guards. Some big companies — such as Caribbean Containers; National Hardware; Puran Brothers, some private hospitals, banks, etc. and those who can afford, have been employing watchmen for their homes.
Added to this is the growth of the Guyana Police Force. A look at the papers shows reports that for September 2016, some 57 persons were recruited; for December 2016, some 225 law enforcement officers graduated; March 2017, some 85 persons were recruited for a course; June 2017, another 183 were added to the Force; in November 2017, a further 133 ranks were added.
The 2018 National Budget saw employment and local travel and subsistence costs were G$7.7 billion and G$1.1 billion respectively. This grew significantly from 2014, when the figures were G$4.3 billion and G$0.7 billion respectively.
These figures confirm what we all know: that crime has risen exponentially under this APNU/AFC regime. It has been responsible for almost all the new jobs since this regime took power.
Despite the huge jump in security personnel, police, army and private security, the crime rate continues to escalate.
It is known universally that there is a direct correlation between crime and unemployment. With the huge rise in unemployment due to the dismissal of thousands, it is expected that the negative impact on the economy would be great. The stagnation is growing into a recession. This is a very serious situation caused by sheer incompetence and the discriminatory practices of the regime.
It is time the regime reverse its anti-workers and anti-business stance and create jobs in the productive sector of the economy.
As important as security is, such a situation tells of a country in decline.
Sincerely,
Donald Ramotar
Former President
