No ‘dressing’ will diminish Govt’s responsibility for economic situation

Dear Editor,
The column ‘Report on End of year Outcome 2017’ written by Anand Goolsarran warrants a response, since what Goolsarran claims is out of sync with the substantiated views expressed by economists, like Sasenarine Singh and others.
Only recently, sections of the media published comments from Singh, where he pointed out that Guyana’s exports had dropped by $615 million in 2017. And this is the least of the worrying economic signs that have been pointed out. Another economist, Tarron Khemraj, also in sections of the media, pointed out that it is the coalition Government that must take blame for the loss of investor confidence and the depreciation of the local currency. Khemraj also criticised this Government about the economic performance by pointing out that is it unfairly suspicious of the Private Sector and that the Budget 2018 presentation “gives the impression that not everyone in the APNU/AFC Government fully appreciates the crucial importance of stable macroeconomic forces.”
Goolsarran is not an economist, yet he claims that, based on his supposed analysis, Guyana’s macroeconomic fundamentals reflect a stable economy. This conclusion by Goolsarran would be strange if it were considered on its own. But, Editor, it is an interesting coincidence that Goolsarran’s comments came days after Finance Minister Winston Jordan was making great predictions about the economy for 2018, as reported in the State media.
No one has forgotten that Goolsarran was an ardent advocate for the APNU/AFC coalition Government.
No one has forgotten that Goolsarran also benefited from millions in forensic audit contracts, all of which were awarded in breach of the law. One of those audits alone was for $2.3 million.
This was the man who, as a former Auditor General, presented himself as a champion for ensuring that the procurement laws were followed. Yet he accepted monies in breach of what he actually argued for. All the forensic audit contracts were given out to people. The laws were not followed. In addition to not being an economist, wouldn’t such an action call into question his principles as an accountant too?
Editor, Goolsarran has also not told the Guyanese people yet about the $28 billion that was ‘lost’ annually because of weak procurement systems. As recent as 2015, Goolsarran was talking about credible reports of corrupt behaviour in public procurement. But he has not said anything about this since then. Why?
Editor, I submit that in the whole context, Goolsarran’s comments and his conclusion about a stable economy must be questioned. There must be some level of responsibility to the people when certain comments are made. After all, it is the people, regular Guyanese people, who are feeling the squeeze caused by the present economic conditions. No amount of ‘dressing’ by people like Goolsarran will diminish the APNU/AFC coalition Government’s responsibility for the present economic situation.

Sincerely,
David Williams