The truth about who is really keeping Guyana back
Dear Editor If one phrase can sum up the collection actions and philosophy of the PPP Administration, I propose I would be ”The PPP Government, robbing the poor to enrich the rich because we care.” It never amazes me to observe the tendencies and actions of the ruling party, the strategies and thinking behind such strategies are clear and connected for us to all observe. Sometimes, during these moments of reflection, I would usually remark, “are they for real?” or do they really think Guyanese people are so stupid they cannot see through their games? Or these people’s eyes really pass Guyanese.” Therefore I am not surprised by all the goodies in the form of electricity fees reduction, etc. being distributed in the run up to May 11, 2015, the vulgar language emanating from the PPP cabal during this period, neither am I surprised that they are literally using children and some of their supporters in Region 5 as propaganda machines, employing racially charged language in promotional materials via proxy agents on the internet especially, have no remorse of using public finances to execute campaign work under the guise of Government outreach efforts, attempting to assassinate the character of prominent critics (think Speaker Trotman, Glen Lall, etc.) of the abuse of public resources, power and human rights, the upsurge in goodies the PPP Government is doling out to supporters and non-supporters alike and the sudden toning down of violently charged language and actions of some Ministers and PPP supported/appointed public figures. I take this time now to ask myself again, does the Government really think that sharing out goodies will cause us to forget how it has abused public office for the past two years? Will we forget: (1) the deliberate institutional destruction of the University of Guyana (for 22 years, no significant strategic capital injection or progress has been made, yet the Government is killing itself to find investors for the Marriott; in fact, the University has deteriorated with increased expenditure (2) will we forget the death squads sanctioned and promoted by the then Minster of Home Affairs Ronald Garaj who was rewarded with an ambassadorial appointment to India for his role in the killing and torture of hundreds of persons, (3) the that fact that PPP government Ministers have suddenly become some of the richest people in Guyana overnight and without appropriate source of funding, (4) forget the corruption that has disempowered the majority of poor Guyanese at the expense of enriching PPP Government officials and their friends, (5) the politically motivated imprisonment of Mark Benschop and others, (6) the failure of the PPP Government to reform our Constitution after it cried out while it was in Opposition that the Constitution was inadequate, (7) the cuss down of a few resident ambassadors – specifically those of the ABC countries in the face of their calls for local Government Elections, (8) that in 22 years we have not had local Government Elections; also, this was promised two decades ago, (9) until 2011 most of the diplomatic postings from our very own Ministry of Foreign Affairs were that of a particular ethnic makeup, (10) about the gross human rights violations such as trafficking in persons and torture, (11) that in 22 years the PPP Government has not sought fit to invest in national healing and unity strategy but instead used proxy, some direct circumstances, racially charged language on numerous occasions and foster constructed tension amongst Africans and Indians in Guyana, to address the need for national healing and unity at all levels of society (I guess the perceived tensions benefit the Administration too much), (12) the torture of many persons in particular youth, (13) the recent promotion of torture accused police officers, (14) the cover up of the Lindo Creek Massacre, (15) the countless unnecessary deaths that occur at the Georgetown Public Hospital, (16) political victimization and the culture of fear bred by the PPP Government and its proxies, (17) the selling out of our lands to foreign nationals for next to nothing in the name of so called investment, most of whose returns end up leaving Guyana and going in the pockets of corrupt public officials, along with threat of depleted natural resources, the fact the after 22 years, most of our population remains poor and worst off and are in debt to financial institutions and (18) about the high-jacking of several regional administration offices under the guise of interim management committees. Editor, the list is too long for me to continue the principle take from all this, is that the people Guyana are being fooled because the PPP Government believes that we all are dunce and have “shine eye.” The PPP Government has kept this country from progressing meaningfully (not cars, house and land) but the collective consciousness and intellect of our people are true measures of advancement and maturity as a people. The political Opposition and all right thinking Guyanese who truly care about our people and country need to wake up and see that the PPP Government and party are and have been using proxy situations like the Walter Rodney Commission, the Lusignan Massacre, the now dismissed sexual molestation brought against the Speaker of the House, the now dismissed tax evasion charges leveled against the Lall family and friends, etc. I do not agree with the philosophy of robbing the poor to enrich the rich. Name provided