Running on empty

Many empty promises, a dearth of innovativeness and a void of meaningful policies can characterise the current Administration in office here in Guyana. The result is what everyone from a cleaner to a commissioner can recognise as the stagnation of our economy.

Knee-jerk reactions to occurring situations, fulfilling political sponsorship obligations, along with a determined push to ensure taxes are collected for the national treasury – perhaps to afford the Government’s bloated salaries – appear to be the priority of the coalition Government that leaves Guyana with an empty treasury of ideas and empty ideas for the treasury.

Where is the enthusiasm so many seemed to have had when the coalition came into power, where, despite any meaningful account of its plans for Guyana’s economy, it promised Guyanese a better life?

While it may be too early to say it failed, it is not too early to say it will fail, because APNU/AFC has yet to introduce significant policies and initiatives that show a potential for improving our lives anytime in the future.

And it is the simple things that reveal a lot.

When the gun amnesty was announced, it was hailed by some as a brilliant idea to rein in unlicensed firearms; with gun crimes still plentiful, it is obvious that while some citizens obey the law, others will not.

Now there are calls among some law-abiding citizens to give them firearms as they are being subjected to increasing robberies and are unable to defend themselves and their families, while effective law enforcement remains absent in their communities. However, attaining a firearm is a study in confusion and futility for many.

When the not-so-novel idea of shutting down businesses by 2am was enforced under the assumption that it would reduce crime and road accidents, that too was considered a brilliant policy by some. To date, its effectiveness remains debateable. The only thing that is indisputable is the fact that it has hurt many legitimate private businesses.

The uninspiring and bland budget, where there is so much so wrong within that it is beyond the scope of this editorial to discuss, can be an example for future economists on empty measures.

It can be argued that the Ministers of Government bring little to the table to help improve their so-far lacklustre management of their Ministries and by extension the country. Instead, political appointments are made and square pegs fill round holes as the unqualified take over.

Innovation under suppression and partisanship can never flourish for the good of the country. Not only those who openly support APNU/AFC may have ideas – if any at all – but many others can play a part in improving the so-far mediocre initiatives being put forward by Government – many stemming from a severely watered-down version of the previous Government’s innovations.

How much longer can the coalition Government exist on hijacking ideas which it then racks and ruins to become unimaginative policies? How long can it exist without demonstrating to Guyanese that it has a concrete plan for taking Guyana through the 21st Century?

Promises cannot be an acceptable plan; neither can policy plagiarism re-shaped and masqueraded as its own to lure Guyanese into a false sense of security for their future. APNU/AFC has to do more, much more, to convince those who voted for the coalition – especially the untraditional voters – that it is qualified and confident to run a country.

Otherwise, Guyana is running on empty.