Government should undertake projects that are absolutely necessary

May 06, 2022 Letters

---

Dear Editor,

Many moons ago, as an unemployed young man, I kept myself busy reading. During a given week, I would alternate visits between the public free library and the Commonwealth Youth Program library. It was at the latter that I came into contact with the works of one Batten, a leader in writings on Community development in the 1960s.
In one of his books, Batten looked at community development programmes in third world countries financed by the UN after World War 2, and offered his perspective on why so many failed. For example, he gave an example of UN sending a worker to identify the needs of a village, either in Asia or Africa. The worker, on getting there, noticed that the village did not have a library. Therefore, he proceeded to inquire of villagers whether they did not feel the village should have a library. In response, he got a unanimous “yes.”
Armed with this unanimous approval, the worker informed the UN of the identified need and was given funds for the building and stocking of the library. On completion, there was a grand opening ceremony at which leaders of the community spoke and joyfully gave their thanks to the community development worker for providing the community with a beautiful library.
Soon after its opening, the absence of community members making use of the library was obvious. Over time, as the lack of use continued, the worker engaged residents enquiring why they were not making use of the library, which they had identified as a need. Soon he learnt that the villages never had any intention to use the library. They were a farming community. For them the presence of a library in their village was useful as a status symbol. Sometime they could boast to neighbouring villages that they had.
When I recall some ill advised projects undertaken by both PPP and PNC governments over the years (see letter under caption “Failed projects could bankrupt Guyana “– Kaieteur News 3rd May, 2022 by Calvin Braithwaite) I think of Batten and the case of the unused library mentioned above.
One that stands out for me was President Jagdeo’s programme, which led to construction of buildings in a number of villages ostensive to provide a meeting place for youths who were seen congregating at street corners. The President said he had decided to do this after listening to young people who told him they had no place to meet. The project was undertaken under the leadership of Mr. Odinga Lumumba. Interesting to note that some of these villages had community Centres that were already underused.
Years after a high number of these buildings were either critically underused or not used at all. So much so that sometime later, as the coordinator of a leadership training programme sponsored by UN for the Ministry of Youth , Sports and Culture the then Minister gave me a list of these unused/underused building and asked that I do what I could to encourage the trainees to make use of these buildings.
With this experience behind them, one would have thought that any subsequent PPP administration would have learnt that community development projects need careful thought, some amount of community analysis needs to be done and adherence to certain principles of project planning need to be followed, before they are undertaken.
Some of the questions to be asked are as follow: (1) Is there a real need? (2) Who will be using the facility? (3) What will they be used for? (4) How often will it be used? (5) Are there other existing buildings in the community that can serve the intended purpose?
Recently, President Ali visited the Rose Hall/Skeldon areas, and told residents that his government intends to build a Stadium and an International Air field, I am confident that the announcement gave rise to vociferous applause. After all, which village would not welcome the announcement that their villages were chosen for the locations of these sure symbols of modernization and development? On reading this, I shook my head. I thought ‘this is Batten’s 1950s unused Library all over again in 2022.’ However, it was encouraging to note that others saw the folly of President Ali’s plans.
In the Kaieteur News of 22nd April, 2022 an article appearing under caption “Airport, Stadium in Berbice will be white elephants,” captures the views of prominent engineer – Charles Sohan. Sohan opined that “the anticipated air traffic in the region cannot justify these projects.” With the Cheddi Jagan International Airport having one of the lowest air traffic, I have encountered and it being under construction for over 10 years now at ever increasing price. An existing National Stadium that seems to be used more for holding concerts than sporting events, I can’t but agree with Mr. Sohan’s predictions.
So, the question becomes – why does the government seem to feel these projects are needed at this time, while, for example seeming to attach little urgency to provide the Guyanese workers and pensioners with livable wages/salaries and pensions?
Are we really to believe that a government that includes so many persons with doctorates before their names cannot see that the average Guyanese family has needs that cry out for immediate attention, needs that are within the present government’s capacity to satisfy? How are we to understand this strange behaviour of a “caring government?”
In an article by Adedokum Adeyemi on corruption in Nigeria, he highlights the prominent role that infrastructural programmes play in most cases of white collar crimes. Adeyemi notes that these crimes usually involve collusion between the business community and public servants occupying the highest levels of the public service (this includes and particularly refers to politicians).
Infrastructure programmes, such as the building of hotels, airports, hospitals, roads etc. demand the investment of hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars. Such projects are very attractive to unscrupulous men in position of authority and power under whose authority such projects fall and businessmen bidding for such contracts. Could this collusion between greedy men in our government and the business community be an explanation? Also, could the fact that we read so often about individuals, companies/corporations being given expensive contracts to undertake, projects in areas they are not known to have any experience, be part of the reason for government suggesting these ridiculous projects?
A caring and thoughtful government it seems to me, would be thinking first about ensuring its people has the means to take care of themselves from the wages they earn from their honest work they perform each day. Secondly, it would look to achieving food, housing and clothing security for its people.
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nation tells us that around 660 million people may still face hunger in 2030, and that some 60 million living in Latin America and the Caribbean help make up this number.
Couple the above with the fact that a study funded by IDB done by Pauline McHardy and Michael Donovan listed 6 Caribbean nations with highest percentage of their people living less than 10 meters above sea level includes Guyana. This study has dire implication for Guyana. It should influence where we build in the future. Further changing weather patterns also should influence the type of materials, which we need to encourage for building in the future. So to push on these two fronts (food and housing security), we need to do certain things.
First, let us consider food security. In the Kaieteur News of 28th April 2022, I read that a study conducted by UN’s world food programme and CARICOM concluded that nearly 40% of the population of the English speaking Caribbean are food insecure. We need to create a unit at the University of Guyana engaged in this single project of advancing food security here. It should be staffed by our better scientific minds in CARICOM knowledgeable in related areas. This unit must concentrate on exploring our ability to produce staples that we import presently. Things like wheat, split peas, etc. If these cannot be produced, the unit will consider what peas we produce or could produce that can be substituted. The unit will examine whether there are local spices that can be produced to give our peas the colour of split peas, if that is what is needed to encourage local acceptance of the local substitute. Same approach should be taken with regards to wheat.
It was indeed refreshing to read that an adventurous and resilient farmer has shown that grapes can be grown in commercial quantities in Guyana and that the government has moved to give the gentleman the support and assistance he needs. For this government should be commended.
As it relates to housing, this programme needs a moon shot. We should look to resuscitate our clay brick factories that would allow our people to build sturdy/durable beautiful houses. Prefab houses will, I am sure, make housing the nation a quicker undertaking. However, in the long run, with climate change and the adverse weather changes that go with it, in the long run proliferating the country with prefab houses will only benefit the business community.
On a related topic, I hear that the government intends to build prefab houses for use by the influx of visitors anticipated during the matches in CPL that will be played in Guyana. We can recall that the private sector was encouraged to build hotels to accommodate the influx of visitors coming to Guyana for the matches slated for Guyana during T20 world cup 2007, I concede that largely for reasons out of the control of the then Government, the anticipated large arrival never materialized. On visits to Guyana, I am struck by the number of hotels built during that period that stand inactive in and around the city.
The question then becomes- “Has the government created an inventory of the number of unused/underused hotels we have in the city and its environs? What are their potential occupancy capacities, and what help can be given to owners so as to get these facilities back to international standard for use during the 2022 CPL Guyana leg? With this done, then the government would have a clear idea if and in what quantity would prefab houses be needed. If this has not been done, government should say why not.
Of course housing and food security is not all that need government’s immediate attention. Clothing the nation is also a matter of concern. In an article by Laura Routh, we are told “by 2100 given the slowest climate warning models, cotton yields could decline in the US by 30 to 26 percent.” Indeed, in the USA, large clothing manufacturing entities are buying used jeans for reprocessing and creating new ones. With our present wealth, we have been given a chance to ensure we can take care of our clothing needs.
Armed with the above knowledge and with our potential wealth, we need to return to producing cotton. Perhaps resuscitating Kimbia needs to be considered and Sanata reclaimed. If not possible similar facilities have to be built.
One thing we have in our favour is that all the above things I have spoken about, we know we have the skills to undertake. This is no time for foolishness such as “we ain’t want Burnham look good.” Guyana has the capacity and capability to ensure that our food, housing and clothing security is not held hostage to what is happening else where.
The nation needs to be mobilised for this type of development with some urgency; time is against us. This is no time for our President to choose to visit poor communities and focus on telling them about building, stadiums, hotels and international airports. Such projects can wait.

Sincerely,
Claudius Prince

---

---