Measuring progress
Viewpoint
By David DeGroot
Guyana Chronicle
October 31, 2003
HOW does one measure progress? How do you recognize improvement? How do you experience success? Has there been any advancement generally?
These questions all return to one factor, and that is you need to determine a staring point from which in the final analysis, the truth is realized.
For us in Guyana, it can be said that 1966, the year of independence, is one such staring point. Equally, it can be said the intervening years leading up to 1992 were squandered years, simply wasted years.
The re-birth of the nation and the restoration of genuine democracy, which has been hailed worldwide, occurred on October 5, 1992 when the present political party, the People's Progressive Party/Civic Administration assumed the reigns of Government.
As a result of the re-birth and restoration of democracy on October 5, 1992, the date can also be said to be another starting point.
Having established these givens, it is necessary if only to highlight the enormity of the task that befell the new administration in 1992, to briefly say that Guyana, prior to October of that year was enveloped in complete and absolute national despair. There was a collapse of the economy, infrastructure was in shambles, every sector was adversely affected, wages and salaries were unbearably disgraceful, the despair was not only felt it was evident in the faces of all fellow Guyanese, it was a period of morbid desperation, it was a period that instructed all sane Guyanese to be wary of placing in power the type of people who brought this country to be compared with Haiti.
Eleven years later, the changes that have taken place are simply astounding. The PPP/C Government have performed and the transformation from a nation in despair to a people with renewed vigour is really amazing. Developmental activities were taking place throughout the entire country with people involvement. Every region was involved and the quality of life more enjoyable as a result of improved infrastructure, health facilities, easier transportation and accessibility to potable water.
At the national level, greater financial rectitude is practiced, accountability and transparency in the conduct of governance is a satisfying experience. The Auditor General's annual report has never failed to be done in the past 11 years. Debt servicing is now less burdensome than previously when 90 per cent of revenue went towards servicing of our external debt. Today, les than 40 per cent is being spent. There is overwhelming physical evidence of national improvement in every sector of activity and the Government is determined to press on relentlessly with the task of nation building for the benefit of the population.
On reflection it has been 11 years of dedicated service to the nation