Rural and interior regions economically disadvantaged

Social Cohesion Strategic Plan

…greater participatory and inclusive governance needed

The absence of banks and financing mechanisms in rural and interior regions puts citizens in those areas at an economic and developmental disadvantage, according to the Social Cohesion Strategic Plan 2017-2021.

The Plan, handed over to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo last Thursday, finds

that small contractors in Kuru Kururu, Mahdia and Lethem are being disadvantaged owing to unfair requirements needed to access governmental contracts. It added that although some small-scale contractors may be qualified for projects, they are often being by-passed in favour of more established and “politically-connected” large-scale contactors.

“Quite a few consultations also identified challenges to accessing loans and concessionary financing as seed capital for small-scale contractors. This related both to the absence of banks, and financing mechanisms in particularly rural and interior regions to cater to the financing needs of such small operators,” the report stated.

The issue of Indigenous persons accessing loans was also addressed, as they are being disadvantaged as a result of being unable to provide financial institutions with collateral. “The issue of collateral for persons in Indigenous villages, in a context where land titling is communal rather than individual, was raised in many of the consultations as a significant impediment to accessing bank and other financing, since such institutions do not accept communal titles for purposes of granting loans to individuals who may share communal title to Indigenous lands.”

“The promotion and enhancement of social cohesion requires policy and programmatic interventions that would result in the elimination of disadvantages or levelling the proverbial playing field. The Plan identifies that many of the policy and legislative measures are under the purview and mandate of Government Ministries and agencies and should be a normal part of their functioning. “These constitute the enabling policy and legislative environment that facilitates and regulates economic activities; and that should protect, proscribe, enable, or sanction economic behaviours, as appropriate, towards providing a level playing field for all,” it posited.

The Social Cohesion Ministry has the role of advocating for and monitoring the implementation of appropriate legislation, business and economic policies and programmatic actions. It also has a role in ensuring partnership and collaboration with the relevant agencies and Ministries to target discriminatory policies to ensure unbiased access to economic equity and opportunities.

In formulating the strategic approach to deal with social cohesion in Guyana, a total of 30 face-to-face consultations and a number of media outreaches were conducted by the Ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Inclusive and

participatory governance

The Plan added that citizens were grossly under-educated as to the workings of Government at all levels as well as what was contained in the Constitution. Also, Indigenous villages complained of not being properly educated on the Amerindian Act and how it was applicable to their protection. This was attributed to the deficiencies in the education system, which did not sufficiently cover the Constitution and governmental system, at the primary and secondary school levels

“Participants identified many deficits in the way the current system of representation is functioning, such as insufficient visits to their communities by the heads of political parties; the need for transparent reporting on decisions made in Parliament on national issues; better working relationships should be fostered between political parties to achieve developmental goals; the need for integrity, transparency, and accountability; leaders from political parties, NGOs, stakeholders should partner together and be more public about cohesion; decentralisation of government offices and services; constitutional reform in the interests of the country as a whole and not political parties, and more bottom-house meetings and man-in-the-street participation allegedly, practising racial incitement among ethnic groups,” the Plan revealed.

It urged the need for civic education and awareness programmes on Guyana’s Constitution, the legal system and critical legislative enactments that impact the daily lives of citizens; and the systems of government at all levels; sensitisation and awareness programmes on the rights and obligations of citizens, and the inculcation of appropriate attitudes of solidarity and habits of understanding, sharing, caring, and support among citizens, locally and nationally.

It also noted that there were many programmatic actions that would need to be taken at the regional, and especially at the community and village levels, to promote habits of inclusion, consultation, participation, and collective decision-making.

There was also the call for political leaders to be more respectful, accountable and hold high morals; more voters’ education, more youth involvement and development at the national level and less political interference.

The Social Cohesion Strategic Plan 2017-2021 was presented to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo by Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton for consideration at the Social Cohesion Day celebration on Thursday last. (Lakhram Bhagirat)