Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 24, 2017 Letters
Dear Editor,
The lack of shamefacedness by the two major parties in Guyana is sickening. The good news is that Guyanese are seeing through the façade. Imagine the former President Donald Ramotar is brushing aside all the corruption, cronyism, and violent activities of the PPP Government and is now suggesting that President David Granger must deal with the similar corruption taking place under his administration.
If this is not that biggest shell game being perpetrated on the hapless Guyanese, what is? If Mr. Ramotar is really interested in right and justice, he would urge the current administration to quickly prosecute those who were found guilty of corruption under the PPP’s watch. After all, the audits are clear that billions of dollars were siphoned off by friends and family of inside the empire of the PPP. But to placate his numbed conscience, Ramotar is brushing the evils of his party under the rug, while trying to highlight the atrocities that are now taking place under the Granger-led administration.
It is for this reason that the United Republican Party (URP) is agitating for the Guyanese voters to put a third party in the parliament. These two parties will continue to disrespect and belittle the sensibilities of the citizens of Guyana, for they know well that the options are either…or. After these two years of the PNC-Coalition government, it is obvious that the average Guyanese citizen is not experiencing any significant change.
We are being squeezed and taxed more and more every day. The unemployment rate keeps ticking upward, as more and more businesses downsize or close their doors. The 14% Vat added to light and water is starting to hit home in the poor man’s pocket as vendors of products and services begin to increase their cost. Road deaths and accidents continue to climb, unabatedly. The crime rate is still dogged. Folks are increasingly afraid to traverse the streets. Businesses are leery to invest in Guyana or expand.
All the while these two parties continue their tit-for-tat petty politics. The URP is suggesting that a crime taskforce be set up to ascertain the causative factors for the crime wave in Guyana. The task force should be given the assignment of scientifically determining the reason for the pervasive and consistent upbeat in crime. A demographic study should be done to plot out the hot-spots for crime and criminal behaviors, across the country.
The government should also solicit the expertise of former criminals and task them with returning to their communities as goodwill ambassadors of sorts. Special programs should be undertaken to bring employment to the defined troubled areas. There needs to be a formal, hands-on approach to crime reduction in Guyana. Not only by building up the police force but more so by engaging the respective communities in proactive, rehabilitative ventures.
There needs to be a structured post-release rehabilitation program. The kind Pastor Wendell Jeffrey has been speaking about for the last 7 years. A program is needed where ex-offenders can transition smoothly from prison to a safe and formal place of residency, academic tutelage, vocational training, drug counselling, spiritual formation and job placement. This will serve to reduce the incidents of crime and recidivism.
Additionally, the traffic department needs to implement a system where errant drivers lose points from their licenses. This will serve as a deterrent. Errant, irrational and selfish drivers would soon learn that their driving privilege will eventually be suspended or irredeemably revoked.
A special entrepreneurial body should be commissioned to scout out businesses that are pliable to the academic and physical limitations of those living in heavily impoverished communities. For example, USA based companies like Wal Mart, Target, Krogers, etc. spend millions in packaging and wrapping their brands. A lot of that work is outsourced to other countries. Guyana needs to set up a delegation to approach these mega businesses in an effort of having them contract with us in the provision of joint ventures that will aid with our unemployment crisis. This is one way the Granger-administration can fulfill their promise of jobs creation for of the unemployed youths of this country.
What the URP is humbly suggesting is that the work of crime reduction and that of job creation need to be simultaneous and interwoven. Currently the focus of Ministry of Public Security is lopsided. Strengthening the police force, alone, without creating jobs for those likely to be involved in deviant behaviours will not solve the crime problem. It is way past the time for the two major parties in Guyana to put aside their petty, egotistical showmanship and get on with instituting viable crime reduction and employments strategies. The shell game between the PPP and the PNC is daily being exposed. 2020 will be an interesting year.
Dr. Vishnu Bandhu
Leader, URP
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