The astute leadership of the PPP/C Government, formerly with the architects of Guyana’s freedom movement, Dr. and Mrs. Jagan, and currently with President Jagdeo at the helm, has created many buffers to cushion the devastating impacts of external trading and social dynamics from derailing the development programmes, and even growth patterns, of this country’s socio-economic graphs.

Many nations are reeling from the shockwaves of the global recession, but Guyana’s food security is assured, and our economy has been stable, with even some degree of growth.

Despite the dire prognostications of those who seem to wish to see this country fail if it would bring the current Administration down, the Government’s continuously-increasing investments in the agricultural sector, and the innovative initiatives by its ancillary arms, as well as massive investments in the educational, social and housing sectors, is redounding, in a major way, towards the enhancement of the lifestyles of citizens.

As the Government strategizes to create and accelerate the dynamics of development through the continued investments in people power, President Jagdeo is also seeking a partnership with the citizens of the land to join in Government’s efforts to involve the citizens of the country to be an integral part of the development paradigm of the nation.

The Government’s strategic interventions in every sector to address the needs of the Guyanese people in its community outreaches is evocative of the PPP/C Government’s drive to incorporate Governments drive and people’s power in national development imperatives.

The several releases of millions of dollars in cash and kind to the City Council, as well as the President’s promise of more monetary allocations for CDC’s, is a commitment to the people of the land by the leader of the land to the enhancement of their existential landscape, the success of which co-operative endeavour at the grassroots level is an imperative.

But working with the grassroots has always been the PPP tradition, and service to the people has always been the paramount consideration in all the endeavours of the PPP, beginning from the first foray into the socio-political arena by the iconic Jagans, who chose well when they chose then very young Finance Minister, Bharrat Jagdeo, to take up the mantle of leadership in the country.  He has not faltered in his responsibilities, and his stewardship as guardian of this nation’s welfare is testimony to his commitment to the Jagan legacy of service to the nation above concern for self.

The CDC’s were formed by Government to involve members of communities in the care and development of their own communities, while simultaneously creating and providing jobs for the unemployed.  The Councils allow for communities to be responsible for the governance of their designated areas of mandated authority.

If properly managed, with primary goals of self-development and autonomy of environmental, infrastructural and social management, in addition to consideration for sound fiscal practices and uncompromising accountability, each community of the nation can maximize and exploit their peculiar potentials to optimal levels.  This could provide the impetus and serve as a catalyst for the restoration of commitment to personal and communal development whereby citizens could enhance their lives and lifestyles through individual and collective efforts and thus restore the healthy socio-economic environment of communities across the land, which will of course redound to the benefit of the entire nation.

Benefits will include a reduced crime rate, unwed pregnancy rate, school dropout rate, suicide rate, abuse rate, stress-related medical rate, among many others.

However, the Georgetown municipality and its failures should not be replicated anywhere else in the country, because the magnitude of expenditure from the national exchequer occasioned continually by this decrepit body to bail it out of its problems resulting from inefficient, ineffective management methodologies could very well beggar the country once again, as it did in the past under the same management.