Now that the Budget Debates are over, the National Assembly has transformed itself – sadly, not into a butterfly!! – but into a “Committee of Supply”. That Committee would (over and over!) then approve how the $1.4 trillion dollars are gonna be spent, line by excruciating line!! With the Speaker not even lifting his head to count how many hands are up — since the “ayes” are always gonna “have it,” because of the Government’s majority!! — it’s akin to watching grass grow: you know it’s gonna happen, but you wish all the time it didn’t have to take so goddamned long!!
But before that, we had the concluding statements on Thursday by Finance Minister Singh for the Government and Opposition Leader Norton for the Opposition. Norton, by tradition, went first, thereby giving Singh the opportunity to just tee off on him with some big swings! Norton continued reiterating how, if he’s elected, a PNC government gonna give more than the PPP; for example: $100K monthly cash grants – as your Eyewitness had already complained. They’d also lower VAT to 10-12%, and so on and so forth.
But what was very disconcerting was the way Norton went out of his way to shoot the PNC in the foot. The Opposition have been complaining to high heavens for years – and bitterly during the budget debates – about the PPP focus on infrastructural development: what with building roads and bridges all over the place. For the voters who wouldn’t have the maturity to understand the long-term benefits of going down that road (pun intended!!) the PNC’s punchline – that “people can’t eat roads” – resonated powerfully!! Most people want personal gratification right now!!
But Norton announced that, if elected, they’d launch an even more ambitious infrastructural development programme: not only with highways crisscrossing our 83,000 square miles, but with a coast-to-hinterland network connecting Bartica to Upper Mazaruni; Essequibo Coast to Cuyuni and the North West District; and even bridges across the Essequibo River, and a railway to Brazil!! Can people eat railway ties?? He threw in a new Guyana Airways for good measure!!
But Norton really put his foot in his mouth when he gratuitously announced, “We restricted items in 1970s and we’re proud of it!!” He was referring, of course, to one of the most trenchantly criticised moves of the PNC under the Burnham regime, when basic food items such as flour, split peas, potatoes, sardine, corned mutton, condensed milk etc, were banned!! Ironically, Burnham’s dying request was for condensed milk – which was duly supplied from his secret stash – which epitomized the ban’s tragic impact on Guyanese!!
Knowing the damage Singh would inflict on them after Norton’s presentation, only eight Opposition members remained to take the body blows! There’s only so much that aspiring politicians can take!!
…the messenger
The IMF conducted their annual examination of our economy, and submitted their “Article IV” report. They gave the Government a pretty good grade on its performance and plans. After all, weren’t they the ones leading the call for underdeveloped countries to focus on infrastructure, so as to prepare for wider development even as they deal with alleviating poverty?? And sustainable results for the latter goal can come only from creating jobs that the infrastructure facilitates!! Teach a man to fish, and all that!!
Well, they looked at us once again, and issued a caution: that we gotta watch out, so that the economy doesn’t get “overheated”. The PNC – through their former Finance Minister Jordan – immediately pounced on that statement as if it were news!!
Listen, any poverty-stricken country that’s come in to a windfall such as we have would spend. And Government’s quite aware of the risks, as they’ve been ensuring their performance is within the acceptable metrics on inflation, debt ratio etc.
Gwan da side, Jordan!!
…lemon cars
The GRA just announced they’ve appointed in Japan an inspector who’ll now examine and issue a report on all reconditioned cars shipped here. It’s to prevent “lemons” – defective cars that leave a bad taste in one’s mouth.
Bravo!!
