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I refer to Mr. Emile Mervin’s letter in the Kaieteur News on June 3, 2009 captioned, “President Bharrat Jagdeo needs a viable vision beyond the IMF/WB.”
I was being jocular when I said, ‘This man takes his eyes and passes me.’ But I will insist that he presents substantiated pieces. Please chill out!
If my recent responses to Mr. Mervin are propaganda and spin, as erroneously perceived by Mervin, and the fact that he ignores verifiable data, then all his talk about inadequate development in Guyana has to be a mere chimera. Look, the fact of the matter is that given have constantly alluded to verifiable data pointing to developmental gains in this country; and given that he circumvents these data, then, I suspect that this conversation is over.
Mr. Mervin is making wild and sweeping unsubstantiated allegations about corruption and misuse of funds. He needs to know that over the last 15 years, that the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament scrutinizes the Auditor-General’s Report; all Accounting Officers have to provide explanations on queries to this Committee; a member of the Opposition always chairs the Public Accounts Committee. And, over the last 15 years, the Auditor-General’s Report has not alluded to any cases of fraud. Mervin needs to substantiate his allegations with specifics.
Mr. Mervin’s dizzy spinning spell provides information on Guyana’s GNP as it relates to drug smuggling, but the spin has gone so dizzy that he fails to see the development gains since the late 1990s. And so, after financial viability was reached, I want to present to you a sample of this country’s development gains, commencing ‘pre/post financial viability’.
| Credit to the private sector increased by 21.8% to $89.3 billion in 2008; external reserves increased by 13.89% to US$355.9 million; Guyana is free; President’s powers reduced; opposition participation through parliamentary sectoral committees, parliamentary management committee, standing committee on constitutional reform; oversight committee, Public Accounts Committee, constitutional commissions, the President’s consultation with Leader of the Opposition on some appointments; Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) now US$71 million for 1993 through 2005 compared to US$2.6 million between 1982 and 1992; sustained macroeconomic stability through reduced inflation now 8% compared to 101% in 1991; reduced interest rates, stable exchange rate, consistently reduced budget and balance of payments deficits; increased per capita GDP was US$1233.6 in 2008 compared to US$231 in 1991; increased disposable incomes evidenced through the importation of 85,000 motor cars, etc.; increased minimum wage now US$124 compared to US$22 in 1991; increased production in all agricultural sectors; growing service industries; upgrading CJIA and Ogle airports; housing boom – 70,000 house lots, 35,000 titles, 7% mortgage interest rate; 85% access to water compared to 40% in 1992; increased CXC performance now 80% compared to 47% in 1991; university education expanded into Berbice; more trained teachers, now 56% compared to 35% in 1991; greater secondary school enrolment now 72% compared to 35% in 1991; 84 new schools built; health physical infrastructures rebuilt – new hospitals at New Amsterdam, Georgetown, and Kamarang; high immunization rates among children, now 95% compared to 65% in 1991; Infant Mortality Rate now 48 per 1,000 compared to 120 per 1,000 in 1991; maternal mortality rate now 11 per 1,000 compared to 34 per 1,000 in 1991; Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS now with 138 sites nationwide; the 1951 Amerindian Act revised; 50 Amerindian communities obtained titles and demarcation; $1 billion on the President’s Youth Award, President’s Youth Choice Initiative Program, Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Program, and Youth Empowerment. |
Last year, also, a number of critical infrastructure projects were either completed or advanced, including the Berbice River Bridge, and the Takutu Bridge which will foster trade links with Brazil and which trade links will intensify with the onset of a deep water harbor. Also, there is ongoing emphasis on improving the administration of justice and on improving internal security within Guyana through the Guyana Justice Sector Reform Strategy 2006-2010 and the Security Sector Reform Action Plan.
Mr. Mervin continues to allude to remittances as wrong, but I want to reiterate the following: presently India is the leading recipient of remittances in the world, and received $24.6 billion in the fiscal year 2005-2006 from overseas Indians. The World Bank estimates for 2005 put India in the lead at $23.5 billion, with China and Mexico close behind at $22.4 billion and $21.7 billion, respectively. In 2007, remittances represent 3.08 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In addition, remittances have rescued the Jamaican economy .Given that these countries see remittances as a positive for development, then why not Guyana? Migration is a global phenomenon, so much so that the 20th century was seen as the century of refugees. And the Guyana migration started well before 1992. While migration does initially create a brain drain problem, over time, countries with large contingents of overseas residents have begun to transform brain drain into brain gain; thus, remittances are only one consequence of this transformation.
I await the evidence to substantiate your wild and sweeping allegations.
PREM MISIR
