IT IS indeed sad when qualified, experienced and supposedly intelligent individuals choose to sacrifice professionalism in the name of narrow and selfish political gains.I have noted, with great disappointment, statements in the media attributed to Professor Clive Thomas, a Doctor of Economics. In the January 19th edition of the Stabroek News, in an article captioned, “Severe poverty remains, even if not UN’s extreme poverty”, in which Dr. Thomas, Mr. David Granger of the APNU and Halima Khan of Red Thread were quoted and to whom many statements were attributed.
I can forgive and or even ignore Mr. Granger’s and Ms. Khan’s statements, since none of them are economists or intellectuals of the caliber of Dr. Thomas. But, for Dr. Thomas, a Professor and Doctor of Economics, one of Guyana’s bright minds, to belittle Guyana’s achievements in eradicating extreme poverty is mind-boggling. I am not disputing the fact, and I am sure no one will, that there is poverty in Guyana, but which country on this earth does not have people living in poverty? At which point in human history was there ever a country free of poverty?
The important question that Dr. Thomas must ask is: How many Guyanese fell into poverty during the PNC’s 28 years of dictatorship and mismanagement, as against how many of those very people were able to come out of poverty during the 20 years of PPP/C rule?
Is it not much easier to plunge a country into a hole than to get it out of it? The PNC had the easy task of throwing the majority of Guyanese into a hole of poverty while the PPP/C government, on the other hand, is faced with the un-envious task of rebuilding Guyana, and getting those very Guyanese out of that hole they were thrown into by the PNC in the first place.
As an economist, Dr. Thomas must know that the effects of the PNC’s 28-year reign of destruction will be with us for at least another generation, whether we want to accept it or not. And whether the good professor accepts it or not, the PPP/C has largely been successful in reducing poverty in Guyana. The United Nations was kind enough to recognize it.
The PNC, in its new outfit, the APNU, is now very envious of the Government’s achievements in reducing poverty, and they know that as long as the trend continues, they (APNU) will eventually become obsolete as a political force. It is for this very reason, and no other, that they have been fighting the government, tooth and nail, to thwart progress and destroy Guyana. Cutting the National Budget in their bid to prevent the government from providing essential goods and services; fermenting ethnic strife; and creating a sense of insecurity are probably their only hopes of remaining relevant and staying alive. They understand that they are on the road to share the faith of the GPSU.
I am therefore appealing to the good Professor and Doctor of Economics to dispel my ignorance and explain to the nation, in very clear and simple language, the following:
* How can cutting the national budget and creating a politically unstable environment help in further reducing poverty in Guyana?
* How would capital flight and scaring away of investors (both foreign and local) help in the further reduction of poverty in Guyana and by extension those very people Ms. Khan quoted?
* How killing of the Amaila Hydroproject, the availability of cheap and reliable energy will or will not help reduce poverty in Guyana?
* How will a new and modern airport lead to more poverty in Guyana and not development?
* How would the construction of a Marriott brand hotel in Guyana result in increased poverty among Guyanese?
* How would the non-passage of the Anti-money laundering bill “not” result in the further impoverishment of the very people they are pretending to be concerned about?
* How will poverty be reduced if those who have monies to invest and want to invest are not encouraged and given the opportunity to do so result in the creation of employment for the unemployed poor Ms. Khan quoted?
* How monies lying idle in Banks contribute to poverty reduction if conditions are not created for their investment in the economy?

Since the good Professor is so concerned about poverty reduction in Guyana, and we do recognise that there is such a thing as poverty in Guyana, could he please share with the Guyanese public what are his proposals to make Guyana the only country in human history to eradicate poverty. While he has the right to criticise the Government’s record on poverty reduction, he is equally also obliged to propose viable solutions. I am eagerly awaiting his response.

Faruk Mohamed