The recent visit by Dutch historian Marjoleine Kars In Guyana reminded us about our Dutch heritage through the story of the 1763 Rebellion. One legacy from that era is our abiding fears of “Dutchman”!! We’re convinced the ghosts of those cruel slaveowners hover about their old plantations – fast become new housing areas…waiting to pounce on the unwary at nights!! But their reputation exceeds their actual (mis)deeds, don’t it?? While they might’ve delayed the completion of Cemetery Road, has anyone been actually KILLED by one of these phantasmagorical Dutchmen – except perchance from heart attacks brought on by fright?? Didn’t think so!! But for the record, your Eyewitness ain’t taking 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However, the fear of the Dutchmen of yore seems to’ve been replaced by another (related??)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” – especially from the Opposition benches!! And no, it’s not related to Monkeypox coming out of Africa. This one’s the dark cloud the Opposition is convinced will overwhelm whatever silver linings we’ve stumbled over in our oil strike!!
What’s this Dutch Disease, that’s scaring the bejesus out of the Opposition?? Well, seems that after languishing in the economic doldrums of post-WWII Europe that 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 again enjoying the good life from the days when they dragged us from Africa to work on their plantations 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 does it apply to us?? 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 Opposition!!
…constitutional changes
So the PPP Government’s inexorably inching towards ‘constitutional reform” hearings – as promised in their winning manifesto. But even before listening to what the people want, the Opposition’s already demanding a GUARANTEED 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 slink 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 he’d invited in the UNDP, which came, inquired and made recommendations in 2017.
Yet nothing ever came out of it!!
…massa days
A trope from our past colonial relationship was that we were left with the “scraps from the masters’ table”. This hit your Eyewitness as he read about a company bidding to remove food scraps from the FPSOs!!
