After a year in Government, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government seems not to be very clear about its vision and plans for the wellbeing of the country.
Political commentator, Dr David Hinds, in an interview with the Guyana Times, said while it was not expected that the new Government would do “very big things” during its first year in office, one would expect that there should have been some indication of “intent”.
Hinds was adding his voice to the many critiques already made of the Administration’s performance during its first year in office.
“I think in many regards, they might have fallen short in terms of signalling to the society, what they intend to do,” Hinds was quoted as saying by the Guyana Times newspaper.
He said the problem may have arisen because of the fact that the Government is a coalition, and it might have been a little difficult to get all the factions together, “but at the end of one year, one would expect that after a year, there would have been a larger vision.”
“That for me is important. If I am making an indictment, or criticism, it is the fact there is no sense of the overall vision of where they want to take the country. That is something that needs to be challenged very soon.”
According to Hinds, it is a known fact that the first 12 months of any new Government would be difficult.
“This Government is coming into office after 23 years of rule by the other Government. So you’re talking about finding your feet and getting accustomed to Government. They are also coming to government with a lot of expectations and rightfully so, in 1992, after 28 years of the [People’s National Congress] PNC rule, they were coming to Government with the expectation of what the PPP would do. So after 23 years, there are also massive expectations of what this Government should do,” Hinds said.
According to the political commentator, some credit must be given to Government for completing some basic projects; however, more could have been done.
“We’re talking that they have cleaned up the country, cleaned up the city. They have delivered services and have staved off the challenge of Venezuela and generally there is some sort of political stability that has returned to Guyana… I think there has been a toning down of the political temperature”.
Wages and salaries
He said however, that Government has not been forthcoming with its plans for various projects and promises made. One such is the promise of increases in wages and salaries for public servants. He said it is very worrying that after one year, there is no clarity about workers’ salaries and what raises they will get. He said this is something that should have been known within the first year of Government.
Crime
Addressing the issue of crime, Hinds said, while the Guyana Police Force has made some recent headway in solving some cold cases, Guyanese generally are still fearful of the situation.
He said while crime was inherited from the previous Administration, after a year, one cannot blame the other side for responsibility. He noted that while he applauds the tremendous initiatives taken to address the issue, the “fear of the criminal still stalks the land, because, while there are those who can defend themselves, there are still those who cannot. Consideration must be given to them,” he said.
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I believe,Hinds has a grouse with President Granger because the President has not,up to now,and I feel intelligently so,acknowledged the COI report of Walter Rodney`s demise,which was Flawed in many respects.Trying to place pressure on this Coalition unnecessarily,which has done very well,for the period it has been in office.Who knows the difficult tasks it encountered to bring this country as far as it has.KUDOS TO IT.
And after the celebrations what will happen???? Perhaps this Jubilee Celebrations will stimulate the economy for a day but are they specific plans for the long term???? You need to ask yourself this question……
I believe,Anil should first ask former president Ramotar,what was his criteria for pardoning an alleged murderer,who was serving a prison term,for the killing of an infant whose parents could not have afforded to pay the ransom for his abduction.
When the PPP/C under Cheddi Jagan won in 1992 he said there will be no recrimination and went straight away to start the re-building of the Country.The City Streets like Main,Lamaha and Regent were all full of huge holes.The City was given Brand New Streets etc.Cheddi did not fire any Public Servants.He said who wants to rebuild can stay and who wants to go are free to do.But the APNU/AFC did the opposite.That’s why we are in this mess now.
I believe,somethings WRONG with this David`s sight or vision.unlike the other David and Moses who know where they are taking this nation.Hinds made the point,that it is only one year since this Coalition is the government,and it will be difficult for it to do all that it had promised to do,and still conflicts himself by saying,it should have done better.This man,as intelligent as he is supposed to be,is not a member of Parliament or Minister in this Coalition to know the reality of what latitude of difficulties were encountered.There was a COI done for the Public Servants to determine how they must eventually be paid.That COI took a while to find out what measures must be put in place to arrive at a solution.I feel a reasonable conclusion will be arrived at.
Simeon -another moron–are you disputing what the professor is saying well smartie pants show us some proof –they have no vision because they are a pack of dummies-You fool if things were so bad why did they go back I guess the messiah built all the infrastructure ( Marriott) for them to go stay at in one yr you fool. He built shopping malls etc..so that they can have a good time.You and yours will destroy everything very soon its in your .DNA.
Yes the should have done more but they have done enough for the people to see ,after twenty and add years people from around the world return home for the first time to celebrate with their brother and sister and friend and family at least they are still doing .