Saturday, June 20, 2009

Enmore martyrs day - has anything changed?

As usual Jagdeo uses his presidential powers to savagely lash out at anyone who is critical to his rulership or to any who may provide analyses that Jagdeo's leadership (or lack of) is inimical to Guyana’s development. Some time ago he lashed out at the president of the Private Sector Commission (not the current soup drinker). Then a list that includes Yesu Persaud.

More recently he lashed out at Gillian Burton’s suggestion that workers may not be better off today than they were in the past. While Burton’s analysis may have been flawed in its presentation, it does offer some food for thought. Let us answer some questions:

1948: What were the levels of development of Barbados, Trinidad, St Lucia, Suriname, Brazil and ALL other countries in the Caribbean?

1992: what were wages levels comparative to the basket of goods? What could a worker purchase with this wage? Income tax rate? No VAT! Exchange rate was G$190/US$1.

2009: What are the wage levels now comparative to the basket of goods? What can a worker now purchase with this wage? Income tax rate? VAT 16%! Exchange rate is G$206.50/US$1

In 1948 to 1964 saw PPP governance…1992 to 2009 PPP Governance. What is the foreign debt of Guyana in 2009 compared to debt in 1992?

What were Government expenditures then to now?

What was the Presidential travel bill then to now?

Are we really better off?

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