Five years ago, this month, when Guyana started producing oil Guyanese look forward with much anticipation to improve standard of living. From a little country, almost unknown to the world, Guyana became famous for the crude oil belching up from the bottom of our ocean.
Guyana was placed on the international spotlight. We became a country where businesses and people, scrupulous and unscrupulous, hatched plans to come and harvest our resources. They are coming from all quarters, some breaking down or jumping over our gates (borders) as the Government of Guyana continues to act unconcerned, beyond how a few ruthless men and women in office could capitalise on the resources for self-interest.
The people of Guyana, those born here or descendants of those born here, are fast being reduced to second-class citizens in their land, striving to survive and very unsure about the future. This pessimism or fear is not borne out of weakness but a combination of factors such as failure of the elected officials to provide the requisite leadership and being forced to accept that their elected leaders lack the desire or interest to fight for them.
Guyana is the world’s richest economy and among the fastest growing. The ordinary man, woman and child do not feel this. We see statistics of government boasting of this wealth and it means nothing to the majority who cannot afford to live a decent life in an economy the envy of many.
This year the prices for eggs, flour, sugar, rice, meat, greens and every basic item of necessities are much more expensive than they were last year, or five years ago. And this is the disconnect we face that the politicians not prepared to accept and put mechanism in place to provide Guyanese a quality of life that reflects the country’s wealth and laws.
We are a nation whose constitution guarantees the right to everyone to work, pension, ownership of property, freedom of speech, protection from discrimination on the ground of race, free of association and other civic, social, economic and political rights adumbrated in international declarations and conventions.
We are even more divided than we were five years ago. We are less hopeful about our place in Guyana’s future and more desirous of hedging out bets elsewhere. These are much in part to an avaricious, selfish, uncaring, discriminatory and ruthless government, and an opposition incapable or unwilling to stand up to the regime and fight back.
The announcement of a 10 percent increase when compared to the cost of living and erosion of real wage will mean nothing after the retroactive (backpay) is spent. Market prices, poor healthcare and education system, utility bills, rent/mortgage and transportation the increase would be felt. Workers and pensioners may be taking home more in dollars, but the dollar isn’t making sense when there is no system in place to cushion the harsh economic realities and protect the vulnerable.
The $100,000 or US$500 won’t do either. It is not only meagre, but one-off and unsustainable. Some may be able to hisse a bill or buy an electrical home appliance. But the cost of electricity is still beyond the reach of ordinary Guyanese who must also deal with an erratic supply and run the risk of their appliances being damaged.
Every day people come to my office. Men and women of various standing, and evvel held high offices. Some of their stories are sad. You hear of persons having to cut their survival medications (diabetes, hypertension) because it is becoming unattainable.
Guyanese are forced to make choice behind a meal and life sustaining treatment. And this is not borne out of an unwillingness to earn but an inability to earn or prices beyond the reach of the ordinary. Where the regime refuses to review the retirement age as proposed by the trade union years ago, persons 55 years and older, who are retired and relatively have more working years to offer, are at home and struggling to eke out a decent living on their retirement income.
We are not better off than we were five years ago. Things are very bad in this economy. In this Yuletide Season many are cutting back or throwing caution to the wind to celebrate this important event on the national calendar. For many the re-enactment of Christ being able to share two loaves and five fishes among the multitude will be part of their Christmas season. Some have vowed, in spite of hardship, to share the little they have among loved ones and friends.