| THE VOICE OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATSBy Sase Singh INTRODUCTIONAfter observing the Ramotar tenure of leadership, the majority of us knew in 2015 that change was inevitable. With change, it is normal to expect executive disruption and turbulence, which if not handled skillfully, can adversely affect a country’s moral, economy and future.Over the last 11 months, we have seen firsthand,Jerseys From China, a less desired transition plan. Executive transition need not be this messy, especially when it is professionally done. The latest episode of this very challenging executive environment is the recruitment of the CEO of the NCN. But I will deal with that abnormality in another column.I have been through a few executive transitions in my professional life and there are a few essential ingredients that are non-negotiable in this process, such as a carefully crafted plan that has to be effectively communicated to the stakeholders (especially the people).Where are the political, economic and investment plans of this coalition Government? Who is monitoring and evaluating the implementation of these plans? How are we really addressing the great domestic problems of the nation, be it the energy insecurity crisis or the ailing economy or the mismanagement of the agriculture sector?PLANNING FOR THE DISRUPTION, ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIPLet me be very clear, the CEO of the country may be the most important political personality, but he is not the most important element in a transition. Choosing the right team and positioning them in the right roles to help him charter the future course is even more crucial.I want to be very blunt because this situation requires bluntness. Which Ministry has done the greatest harm to the sustainability of this Coalition government, both politically and economically over the last 11 months? Where does Guyana secure major chunks of its foreign income to replenish its foreign reserves? This is a serious bread and butter issue?The under-performance of the top executives in the Ministry of Agriculture, politically, administratively and most important strategically,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, has actually done the greatest harm to the Granger Presidency. Unfortunately, because of the lackluster performance in this sector, the Coalition government has been surgically disconnected from key groups of stakeholders and the Local Government Elections (LGE) made this case very clear. What passes for strategy in the Ministry of Agriculture is a national embarrassment.Irrespective of what happens in Georgetown, rural folks will always have “stew in their pot”, whether they have work or not. These people will survive irrespective of the economic state of Guyana; they can live off the land and they have a clearly established support network with the Diaspora that will allow them to fly under the radar for years without worrying about the central government and urban Guyana. So why is there this provocation of the rice, sugar and other portions of the agriculture sector?This economy is not on a stable foundation today; that is an irrefutable point. This is not about blame, because it is a fact that Granger administration was dealt a less than favourable deck of cards by the PPP in May 2015, but since then what? What have we done progressively with that deck of cards especially on the income side?To compound this mess,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, too much attention continues to be paid to non-valued added expenditure. Such a strategy is extremely self-centered on the part of the executives since all boats are not rising in Guyana as a result of these expenditures, or at best,Discount NFL Jerseys, they provide fleeting moments of ecstasy, but that is not human development.Let us take for example the decision to host the CPL finals. Lovely decision to “drink some more, get drunk some more and lie down some more” for 2 or 3 days at best and then what? The long-term reality will not change with such decisions. Policy-driven expenditures remain critical to achieve widespread impact, not pet projects with a very narrow reach. This is not how you run a country.But thanks to social media,Cheap NBA Jerseys China, the millennials are aware of what is going on and they are exercising greater influence on the conversation today; let us not discount them. For example, the Minister of Agriculture made an announcement in a very hurried manner on the Wales Sugar Estate. The millennials exploded on the issue and guess what was the outcome? More people in Guyana are stepping back and reflecting on the real situation as a result of the voices of these youthful advocates and it is having an adverse impact on the Granger administration.Let us look at the outcome from one of these debates. The PPP won 44.2 percent of the votes in 1994 in the Toevlugt/Patentia NDC (Wales Estate and more) but scored 54.2 percent in 2016 in the same district. These results are generated with the background that this NDC is split relatively evenly between the two main racial groups of Guyana. For the PPP to win, this NDC can be considered an electoral miracle. But because the Wales situation was mishandled at the highest level in the Ministry of Agriculture, the PPP was provided with a political opportunity on a silver platter.CAPITALIZING ON THE DISRUPTION; TRANSFORMATIONThe Ministry failed to lead the stakeholders in this period of expected disruption and transition by capitalizing on this situation to create new economic value on the West Demerara. Not one new idea was put forward from his office save and except an idea to rehabilitate the canal connecting Wales to Uitvlugt. Talk to anyone in the sugar industry and they will advise you that such an idea is delusional at best.Economic and social uncertainty has been injected into the lives of the people. An entire government today is paying a heavy political price for this calamity that has invaded the agriculture sector.Four years remain in this term and it is my opinion that much can still be done,Wholesale Jerseys Store, but timely executive action is urgently required. This 50th anniversary can be used as the platform to clearly establish a departure from the same old attitudes.This agriculture portfolio is dying for new leadership, with a re-focused strategy. It requires political experience that can focus on the needs of the stakeholders, but with a commitment to include the people in the process. That means transformational leadership. Not many in Cabinet fit the bill,China NFL Jerseys, but I am confident there is one person in the Granger Cabinet who can better deliver the bacon.How this sector evolves over the next four years and what impact it will have on the Granger legacy is already being determined and if this status quo continues in the agriculture sector, the consequences will be dire for the Coalition government.CONCLUSIONAt the end of the day, the buck stops at one and only one desk, and that desk is only as strong as the decisions made and the execution of those decisions. There has to be a clear roadmap that will allow for the government to conduct the strategic analysis, make the strategic choices, and implement these choices in a diligent and timely manner.In the absence of such a strategic framework, the nation will be in for a rocky ride. Such a situation for any organization, be it a business, a charity or a government is unsustainable and in the case of a government; political “hara-kiri”. Can the Coalition afford such political huge risks? |
