Dear Editor,
Budget 2025 is here and still in the air as Guyanese continue to hear and learn about all the goodies, cookies and candies which will sweeten their lives just as the Demerara sugar does. Now that Budget 2025 was approved by Parliament, the PPP/C Government can now proceed to translate the planned projects into reality. Most sober-minded and unbiased Guyanese would immediately attest to the promising Budget which is not only positive but also, quite diversified and equitably inclusive. Perhaps, like anything else, it is not 100 percent “Kosher” or fool-proof, and the limitations have room for improvement and need to be reviewed and addressed. Returning to Parliament to table “supplements” is nothing unusual and provision is made to accommodate this element.
One of the critical issues is, of course, the priority payment of the $100K cash grants to all the legitimate recipients, including the overseas-based Guyanese returning home. What remains quite clear is that this cash grant will not be paid overseas. What needs more clarity and publicity is the precise locations established for Guyanese on vacation to register in all regions, where they can collect their cheques and when. This gravy area needs immediate attention in order to avoid any frustration, confusion and aggravation, especially for the elderly citizens.
Undoubtedly, infrastructural development is the backbone to network a foundation for modernization, improvisation and expansion. As technology is altered for antiquity, machine is replacing manual and augmentation is the substitution for stagnation, the PPP/C government is traversing a fast track to make up for lost time encountered by the past PNC government and rebuilding from their destruction of oversight, lack of maintenance and obscured vision.
Yet, the metaphor, “Man must not live by bread alone,” is not an understatement and envelopes many values sympathetic to the back burner, which is providing necessary meals quite essential for a balanced diet. But, while burning, the flame is being strangled due to the heat turned down to medium and in some cases, low. The pipe line needs to be pumped up and the level increased. The concentration of material acquisition is hogging the limelight and overshadowing the tender fabric of social implications. Yes, the subject agency was not left behind, but the approved resources may be considered as an overture for greener pastures.
Gender violence continues to eat away at the core of morality in society. Physical abuse of the female and children is weekly highlighted as a contributory factor to criminal behaviour in Guyana. The physical system is set up to accommodate the abused immediate needs in terms of housing, medical, legal and financial, to say the least. But the machinery in process is judged as an aftermath effect. What is limited is the proactive concept. Having a social worker attached full time in each NDC or a village/town with thousands of people, is recommended and should be brainstormed. This will provide the opportunity for such a worker to have daily interaction at a ground level and be well informed of potential problems. Prevention is better than cure.
While the grass is growing, the horse is starving. Many suffer unnecessarily. Our roads are not safe and are plagued with deaths, injuries and financial losses, among other setbacks. The Police Service is commendable but operates under variable constraints. Guyana’s traffic rules and regulations play second fiddle to drivers, riders and pedestrians’ indiscipline and irresponsibility. Many incidents may be avoided if the 5 C’s are adhered to, the do not drink and drive rule is applied and there is less speeding and more precaution. The investment of traffic lights is an inclusive weapon to reduce manpower which can be further channeled for other avenues. In many areas, it will control the flow of traffic and reduce, if not eliminate, the law of uncertainty and/or priority which leads to chaos, bullyism and physical altercations. Our round-abouts are impressive but many of them lack cohesion! The obvious flow of in-out or out-in, is missing. It is time that Guyana starts to engineer overheads.
The hundreds of traffic tickets issued weekly reflect how serious and sincere the Police are in their attempts to curb and prevent accidents on our roadways. It also throws aspersions on how road users are determined to be oblivious of doing the right thing on our roadways. One of the diseased illnesses on the roads is the noise nuisance which is an unharnessed menace and appears to be a doubtful area in which legal pursuance is absent or silenced. Not one known case has been published! Is there a deliberate reluctance or opaque limitation? The loud music is often popular in the presence of police who do not act accordingly. Meanwhile, the abused public continues to suffer. Why not remove all those extra sound equipment and electrical enhancement gadgets installed in vehicles ordained for hire and for public transportation for a start?
Noise nuisance is now an unaccepted norm in communities and often leads to grave dissention. Instances of deadly or grave consequence are not estranged to civility. Guyana is a land of practiced unruliness not only by many of the citizens and business entities, but also by many authorities which lead to a breakdown in law and order. We shouldn’t hide this problem, ignore it, pretend that it does not exist or worse, deny or refute it. How often have citizens not beg for the elimination of bars and nightclubs which are operating in residential areas? How often have citizens not plead for statutory regulations to close these premises at the stroke of midnight? Is the law sanctifying promiscuous behavior in public, lawlessness in the streets, sleepless nights for villagers, the depravity of peace, all at the encouragement for liquor premises to operate from dusk to dawn?
There is the good, bad and ugly culture. Culture is often applied conveniently, abused convincingly and appropriated controversially! Guyanese have a culture of ominously misinterpreting culture for instances of unwanted custom and undesired tradition! We also suffer from a weakness of procrastination. We also cannot overlook our deficiency of being unsatisfied. We crave for wants and not our needs. The saying, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” is not complicated but carries implications. As many toil to separate the sweet from the soil, let’s not foil the salt from our oil.
For many Guyanese, their days are numbered for when their nights will become numb! Legitimate NIS benefits should be processed today and not tomorrow which may never arrive. The minimum NIS pension should churn an average $50K per month. Guyana can do better and upgrade the old age pension to $50K. Guyana can afford $25K payment for public assistance. Sacrifice can be made to incorporate these expenses at the expense of curtailing other capital expenses. Budget 2025 can be adjusted. The time is now to put a smile on the faces of our broken seniors!
Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall
