ILL-ADVISED decisions, coupled with short-sightedness and narrow personal interests   are bound to have negative and often times disastrous consequences, be it in a family, in a business organisation or in the business of the state.

The combined Opposition in Guyana’s Parliament has definitely become a shining star in this respect.

They have never shone so brightly in their campaign to destroy Guyana and deny Guyanese a better quality of life.  They have just eliminated from the national budget resources allocated for the construction of an ultra-modern specialty hospital in Guyana. And what are their arguments? What are their facts?  What are their grounds for doing so?
Unbelievable, but true! It has been reported by at least two daily newspapers that APNU’s Annette Ferguson told the House that she had visited the site and spoke to a ‘youngster’ who, according to her, indicated that the works the minister spoke of had not been completed. This and APNU’s pre-budget debate decision to eliminate the allocation are the reasons for their decision.
It is unbelievable that a person sitting in the nation’s highest law-making body, who is supposed to act not only intelligently but also in the best interest of the nation and its peoples would base their party’s decision on what a “youngster” at the site said. I would have expected Ms. Ferguson, at a minimum, to quote the contractor or an independent engineer.
Can it get more ridiculous than this? Certainly, if you consider the AFC’s action!
Some of us, especially those in the AFC and its affiliates seem to think it is a virtue to compare Guyana, its government and the PPP to other countries only when it is convenient and beneficial to their selfish interests.
Can Mr. Ramjattan look to all those very countries that he and his companion of extremely high moral standing (lying in Parliament), Mr. Nagamootoo look to and compare Guyana with and point out for the benefit of the government, PPP and all Guyanese, one example, where there has been a horrific conflict of interest as the one he has now found himself in and that person was not forced to do the honourable thing? The AFC leader pioneered the elimination from the estimates of the 2013 budget an allocation to construct an ultra-modern medical facility in Guyana, simply because the contract was not awarded to one of his clients who lost through competitive bidding. Is this an indication of how he intends to run the affairs of this country should he be given the opportunity?
If Ramjattan is the moralist he is portraying himself to be, then he must not only talk the talk, he must also walk the walk and practise what he preaches. Ethics and morals dictate that Mr. Ramjattan, at a minimum, was not only bound to abstain from any comments on the project in Parliament but also abstain from voting.
I therefore, once again call on him to dispel our ignorance and enlighten us on how those countries he loves to point to would have dealt with such a clear case of conflict of interest.
Every professional, be it a doctor, engineer or economist with some sense of self respect and objectivity knows that projects must be judged on their merits and expected outcomes and impacts.  The question therefore, to be asked is: has any of the opposition MPs took the time to make an objective analysis of this project? On mattes of such great importance to the state and its peoples it is the duty, responsibility and obligation of each and every parliamentarian, especially from the Opposition, to study and debate it in an intelligent and professional manner the merits and demerits of the project.  They must be able to use facts, figures, cite authorities and research findings to support their rejection of the expected outcomes and impacts of the project as presented by the government. They must be able to prove that it would not be beneficial to the people of Guyana.
The Opposition, especially the AFC, has not only miserably failed their constituents, but also the entire nation and made themselves laughing stocks in the eyes of their fellow parliamentarians around the world by voting to deny their country a major development project – the construction of an ultra-modern medical facility without being able to present a single fact to prove that its construction is not good for Guyana.
I am sure that many of their colleges in many of the Caribbean countries that are vying for a place in the emerging and growing medical tourism market may be smiling – less competition.