A CRITICAL REVIEW OF PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN PRACTICE – THE NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS STRATEGY IN GUYANA: 2005-2015

Abstract

This study conducts a critical review of the Guyana National Competitiveness Strategy (NCS) and its implementation during its life cycle, 2005 – 2015, to create a comprehensive historical account of this transformative initiative in Guyana.

Guyana has a history rooted in slavery, indentureship and colonialism. Following independence in 1966, Guyana’s economy was severely debilitated by the impact of an ill-conceived and maladministered Co-operative Socialism Ideology. The population endured severe hardships and by the early 1980’s, the country was near collapse. It had plunged into an abyss of debt, poverty, and crime, with a strong parallel economy, in a society stratified along ethnic lines, manifested in its partisan politics.

Several economic programs aimed at reversing the negative impacts of Co-operative Socialism were instituted. Among these was the National Competitiveness Strategy which was launched in 2005 as a Public Private Partnership (P3) with an inclusive implementation framework overseen by the President of Guyana and prominent members of the private sector.

Given Guyana’s turbulent evolution, such an initiative was unprecedented, with the potential to be transformative and of historical significance.
The NCS encapsulated several programmes implemented through various ministries and agencies. Therefore, the research methodology included the compilation of secondary data and information on the NCS from multiple sources including original published documents and private documents shared by the Private Sector and the Government. In addition, the dynamics of the NCS P3 were examined through a sample of key stakeholders’ interviews which provided insights into the social forces that instigated the growth, implementation, and premature demise of this major developmental initiative.

The documentary research conducted provides the core data for developing the historical account of the NCS. Stakeholder analysis was used to incorporate the experiences, perceptions, and motivations of the various participants into the study to provide an improved understanding of the process and its possible influence on the outcomes.
Data sources were compared and triangulated where needed to assess the accuracy of the information. This process included comparing documentary evidence with other salient sources, such as newspaper accounts and personal communications, where these sources were accessible.

Findings confirm that the complexity and magnitude of the NCS were significant. It was quite comprehensive in nature but perhaps overly ambitious in scope when it came to practical implementation. An apparent shift in political focus by the Government to another strategy (the Low Carbon Development Strategy) further impeded the effective implementation of the NCS. However, both sectors viewed this high level Public Private Partnership as somewhat successful despite its challenges.
Although proponents of Public Private Partnerships perceive it as the catalyst for development and by virtue of its inclusiveness it seems like the ideal approach, the reality of its application can be particularly challenging, as experienced in Guyana.

This research will contribute to the limited literature on Guyana’s business and economic history and provide a rare case study on the practical application of Public Private Partnership in Governance.