Poverty in real term is the economic and social deprivation people suffer that prevent them from meeting basic needs. The 17th October was international day to end poverty. The World Bank (WB) is optimistic this is possible, given statistics between 2012 and 2013 show 100 million people have escaped extreme poverty, which represents 250,000 persons every day. In July Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma advised that the WB had elevated Guyana to an upper middle income country. For many this economic status is elusive, as within our midst there remain the working poor and those living in extreme poverty. Poverty not only negatively impacts the standard of living of the poor but the entire society. It compromises health and longevity as a result of greater risk to infectious diseases, hunger, inability to pursue education, thereby robbing the nation of its most vital resource needed for development. In areas where poverty permeates, citizens’ rights are more likely to be transgressed and laws violated, given limited or non-existent access to justice and stigmatisation that comes with being poor.
Statistics mean nothing to the poor when they have to live the scourge. In communities such as Plastic City, Lombard area and Albouystown people are clothed in squalor, children play on empty stomach, the hard ground or worn clothing on it their beds. Poverty is real, painful and de-humanising. These people have become the invisible visible- in our vision but we look the other way, not wanting to be bothered, or feeling helpless in the midst of it all.
In 2001 then President Bharrat Jagdeo and Leader of the Opposition Desmond Hoyte signed an Agreement committing to having Government address the depressed communities of Fryish/ Gibraltar, Hogstye/Lancaster, Blueberry Hill/ Victory Valley, West Watooka, Enterprise, Buxton, Meten-meer-zorg and De Kinderen. Nothing was done by way of national programme to honour the commitment to the society. In the meantime, the state has facilitated the building of middle and upper class housing developments such as the Professional Housing Scheme, Windsor Forest, Pradoville 1 and 11. Depressed communities as those named above, along with others like Albouystown, Lombard area sink deeper into poverty and become garrison communities, as other similar communities are being thrown up.
Basic human rights to live a life in dignity is being compromised on the part of the poor and discarded on the part of the state that shoulders the responsibility to ensure its citizens basic social-economic needs are met given that these form the basis from empowerment. Poverty leads to stigmatisation and stigmatisation leads to citizens being treated ‘anyhow’. The poor and poverty stricken areas are also more likely to see constant harassing/raids by police which creates breathing ground to nurture criminal minds and activities since invariably it becomes a system of survival and us versus them.
The gulf between the rich and poor in our country cannot be swept under the carpet. Poverty is a scourge and must be fought. While the WB holds optimism of the possibility of ending poverty, it such can only be aspired for in Guyana when serious and concerted attention is being paid to it. Guyana is one of the few nations that has abundance of land and areas can be set aside to develop subsidised housing projects. This can provide the poor with appropriate and habitable shelter, inclusive of the basic amenities such as water and electricity. Similar approaches are utilised in other societies to ensure that even while persons may be poor or would have fallen on hard times their dignity is not shattered. Our public health services are mostly accessed by this demographic and it may require strengthening these services to avoid citizens sitting at out-patients departments/institutions waiting for extended period before being able to access care. Human dignity is important to man’s self-worth and being poor is no justification to deny or ignore it. Education is an important investment in helping citizens to escape poverty. Our curriculum must be more diverse, with focus on skills needed for development, and in recognition that for our children to succeed in adulthood they must have options that would facilitate the pursuit of their field of competence or interest. Society has a responsibility to the vulnerable in our midst to ensure they can live their lives to the fullest. More avenues for employment and economic opportunities open possibilities for more and higher paying jobs and benefit the people and economy. Consequently it becomes a matter of import to examine the practicality of developing a national policy that will see the addressing of poverty as an important pillar in development.