Hats off to President Ramotar’s UNASUR Speech

By Ronald Singh

            As a vehement advocate of Guyana's integration with our Southern neighbors, I laud President Ramotar for being so forthright in his recent remarks about Guyana's commitment to UNASUR. I am very heartened by his position on our expectations of, and interests in the Union. To that end, I take pride in penning my thoughts on some very pertinent aspects of the president's Summit speech.

To begin, he set the minds of sister CARICOM nations at ease by reiterating that our initiative to support and move towards integration with UNASUR should not be taken as a signal of an intention to abandon CARICOM. However, while we undoubtedly have the capacity to pursue integration in both groupings, I feel the current pace of CARICOM integration suggests that many member-states might need the support of walking canes to assist their movements.

            Further, the president made it clear that combating environmental problems and organized crimes is not possible by go-it-alone, one nation initiatives. Mr. Ramotar also highlighted the role and importance of integration in trade. In my estimation and conviction, the key to Guyana's long-term sustainable economic prosperity lies with our southern neighbors. Clearly, thirteen nations that boast around 400 million inhabitants paint a vivid picture of vibrant potential markets for almost anything we can produce.

However, such benefits would not flow automatically. To seize the opportunities, and benefit from economic surges, we need to shift the paradigms of our mindset and socio-cultural mannerisms. We must refocus to look not only to the north, but also to the south. We must also acquire, at minimum, a working knowledge of languages spoken by our neighbors. Additionally, to penetrate and function effectively in those markets, we must indulge in cultural sensitivity programs.

            In essence, President Ramotar's speech has set the tone for our long-term prosperity. However, we must retool and redesign to take advantage of emerging markets in the wake of UNASUR integration.

West Demerara Highway Should be Reconsidered…

Ronald Singh

I note with interest the socio-political and legal masquerade that has captured the nation’s attention over the last few months. Notwithstanding the ills of these events, many of which were unwanted or could have been avoided, one can see that this young democracy is up and running. This is a positive element in our development drive. Most Guyanese, except those with political aspirations, and/or those with politically impaired vision, would agree that we have come a far way in recent decades. Clearly, political and economic foresight, strategies and maneuvers, along with the international financial meltdown at a time when our few exports are enjoying high demand and prices, have been the mules in our progress over the last 5 – 7 years, or so. However, sustainable development requires not only vigilance and forward looking policies and programs, but also leadership with the testicular apparatuses for radical redesigning and implementation. At the same time, the leadership must have a vision of where the economy should be in the next 10-25 years. To that end, I chose to pen my thoughts, and advocate for an inland highway that would have a far greater positive impact on our development than would the proposed West Demerara Highway.

Proponents may hold strong to their view that the proposed project would among other reasons, enhance free flow of traffic along the West Demerara – Parika corridor. But while this may be so in the short run, it would likely come at a high cost, and prove grossly inadequate in a decade or so. In the first place, hundreds of houses and other buildings would have to be moved back to permit widening of the highway. Further, whatever free flow advantage gained would be negated by the bottlenecks at the Demerara Harbour Bridge. Additionally, increased traffic with vehicles of varying sizes, and possible increased speed zones, through road-edge villages would not only increase noise and carbon pollution, but would also pose a threat to the safety of children, the elderly and cyclists. Throw in a few more casualties at medical facilities across West Demerara and reality would paint a vivid picture of the potential fatalities.

A more potent approach to increase efficiency and free flow of traffic would be to cut a B-line highway from near the west-end of the Demerara Bridge and go towards the Essequibo River, and then bending towards Bonasika with the idea of continuing to Makouria. This would solve the free flow of traffic problem as well as our long term infrastructural and economic drive. This highway would induce population movement thereby creating jobs through housing, infrastructure, agriculture and economic activities as people gravitate towards the highway. Equally important is the fact that settlements such as Hague backdam, Ruby backdam and Parika backdam have already stretched several miles inland. Furthermore, there is every possibility that recently established Tuschen, Zeelugt and CI, as well proposed housing schemes at Leonora and Uitvlugt, and private housing drives would continue further inland over the next decade or so. We should therefore not harness the West Demerara highway with additional traffic from these schemes. Instead we should re-route traffic through an inland highway not far behind these schemes.

In a nutshell, an inland highway as proposed here would alleviate the problem of slow moving traffic, and at the same time bring multiple other benefits to our economy, in keeping with our long term sustainable economic growth and development.

GUYANA - WHICH WAY FORWARD?

Guyana's sustainable economic advancement depends on several factors: Leadership with vision, commitment and will; and Leadership with balls for radical redesigning, restructuring and development of political, legal and indigenous-market super highways. To achieve such goals, attention and resources must focus on:

• Creating a hybrid political/parliamentary system
• Utilize elements of Westminster, Federalist, Canadian, and Indian systems, among others
• Establishing 6 geographic/political states/provinces that bear functional/governance similarities to US, Canada & India
• Increasing population through selective immigration
• Promoting/sustaining economies of scale and economic growth require at least 2,000,000 people
• Establishing a selective immigration system based on pre-determined market and economic development needs/priorities (not human, economic and environmental rapists or restaurant & night club owners)
• Enacting laws that empower civilians to bring limited actions against the government and civilians in matters of public interests
• Social justice necessitates laws and supporting legal sociopolitical structures that empower people, individually and collectively, to act in matters of national interest (such as, curbing abuse of political/functional powers; ending environmental and natural resources rapes)
• Establishing off-shore banking
• Billions of dollars that could benefit the national economy in numerous ways remain underground and may disrupt normal financial and economic activities
• Constructing, incrementally, supportive road networks that strategically link main highways
• This will speed-up inland expansion, and population increase based on selective immigration & development priorities 
• Building two other international airports (Berbice and Essequibo)
• These will lead to upward spiraling tourism and related economic activities
• Will also boost services and light industry activities
• Lead to population increase (new migrants and returning nationals)
• Reducing dependence on fossil fuels
• Encourage/promote wind power, solar and hydro-power (economically and environmentally beneficial to everyone)
• Evaluating the contents and relevance of educational programs
• Review and/or incorporate the teaching of tolerance as an integral subject (Kinder - High School)
• Evaluate the course contents/programs to determine practicality/relevance to Guyana's immediate and long-term economic/urban development goals/plans (Teacher education, Trade Institutes and University)