CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
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Guinea-Bissau |
TENSION
An appeal to the international community
On 18 April 2003, an agreement was drawn up between the government and senior personalities. The agreement revealed just how serious is Guinea-Bissau’s current economic and political crisis. The authorities are determined to somehow find a solution.
The parties to the agreement, formed into a «Permanent Council for Social Dialogue», have insisted on the need to appeal to the international community and friendly countries to support Guinea-Bissau:
- So that the anticipated parliamentary elections scheduled for 6 July can take place on that date;
- So that a special Fund can be set up to pay civil servants’ salary arrears;
- So that funds can be found to pay off the national debt in order to reactivate the private sector in order to revive Guinea-Bissau’s economy.
The official statement published to this effect specifies that the realization of these stipulations constitutes «the only honourable way to get out of the current general crisis and to safeguard everything the Nation holds dear». It is signed by representatives from the government, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and from the two main trade-unions.
The statement was drawn up following a hard look at, and an in-depth examination by representatives from all concerned parties at Guinea-Bissau’s economic and financial situation. This situation is characterized by a marked delay in paying civil servants’ salaries and an accumulation of the national debt. The fact is, the State owes large sums of money to the private sector and its exchequer is empty. In order to pay-off some of the salary arrears, President Kumba Yala has use the funds recently received from Morocco and China.
No party has a majority in Parliament
Any legislation the current government wants to get through Parliament is completely blocked, because no party received a clear majority in the 1999 parliamentary elections. There are 102 Members. President Yala’s Party for Social Renewal (PRS) has 38 seats;, the Guinea-Bissau Resistance (RGB) has 29; and the African Party for Independence in Guinea and Cape Verde has 25. The 8 remaining seats are distributed between five other small parties.
The only way the government can get any business through Parliament is to ally itself with one of the two main opposition parties. That might have been possible at the beginning of the recent Parliament, but for the last two years or so, it’s become practically impossible. Thus, the law regarding Finances was thrown out, and the government’s annual draft budget received the «thumbs down». Because the Opposition were ganging up on him, President Yala dissolved Parliament on 15 November 2002 and called a general election. But the government’s kitty is empty, so the elections have been postponed on three occasions.
Danger of instability
It’s imperative that a new Parliament comes into being, otherwise the situation is likely to worsen in Guinea-Bissau, and the country could become a new centre for instability in West Africa. This would be catastrophic for a country which is still feeling the after-shock of the 1998-1999 political-military conflict, and for its neighbours.
Guinea-Bissau’s appeal to the international community deserves to be taken seriously, even if it means a closer control of any funds with are forthcoming. The people’s future is at stake. They’re already collapsing under the weight of an enormous economic and financial sluggishness. But the fact is, Guinea-Bissau is receiving very little return from its many possible economic prospects. Much more could be done to resurrect the country from its present crisis.
- Justin Mendy, Senegal, May 2003 — © Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment