Veira the DUNCE

The comedians are already entered

Written by FARUK MOHAMED

Friday, 23 August 2013 23:41

PLEASE allow me to make a few comments on a letter by Mr. Tony Vieira published in the August 19 edition of the KN under the caption: ‘The Public has rejected the Amaila Hydro Project’. He admitted that he came to this conclusion after reading the comments in an opposition aligned news media of the President’s appeal to the Opposition APNU to support the project. The following are my comments:

Tony Vieira

(1) Mr. Vieira expresses his desire to see the appearance of comedians Mr. Habeeb Khan and Jerry Lewis on our political stage. Why do we need them? We already have Mr. Vieira, Mr. Christopher Ram, and most importantly, Mr. Raymond Gaskin. (2) Mr. Vieira described Guyana as the most corrupt and inept government in the Caribbean. What Mr. Vieira seems to have forgotten is that it is this same corrupt government that has been producing growth rate at an average of 4.5% for the past seven years unlike the other very clean and efficient governments of the Caribbean. He should read the Caribbean Economic Performance report 2013, which states that Guyana was one of only three strongly performing economies in the Caribbean, the others being Belize and Suriname. It seems to me that Vieira’s understanding of corruption is what drives growth in Guyana. (3) According to Vieira, the public is not in support of AFC’s eventual support of the Amaila Hydro Project, something they were forced to do after their supporters’ outcry against their initial decision not to support it. It seems to me that Mr. Vieira has a distorted understanding of what constitutes a majority. How it is AFC + APNU equal majority but AFC+ PPP/C does not. No wonder his TV business folded-up and he cannot understand why. (4) Mr. Vieira asserts that it is commonsense that the President must do what Parliament (meaning the Opposition) wants or stand the consequences. It is also commonsense that if you are a bad manager compounded by lack of vision, your business will definitely fail, especially if you are in the very competitive TV business. Guyana under the PPP/C has been prospering over the last twenty years. Anyone with commonsense could also see that. (5) Mr. Vieira announced to the world that he believes the so called analysis of the Amaila Hydro Project by the three comedians’ or for that matter, the three wise men mentioned earlier. Well the proof is in the eating of the pudding. These gentlemen/comedians/financial analysts have been around for quite a while and if they are of such great competence why didn’t Mr. Vieira seek their services to save his TV business when competition stepped in. The question is therefore, if Mr. Vieira was not prepared to trust these men of such great competence to save his little TV business, then why should they be trusted with the future of an entire nation. What can you say about the manager of a business, established under conditions of zero competition, existed for a whole decade before other competitors enter the scene, but nevertheless, lead his company into bankruptcy while the new entrants continued to prosper? I am talking about Mr. Vieira and his TV business. (6) Mr. Vieira’s statement that we are a backward nation because of our lack of appreciation of polls is a gross insult to all Guyanese. Guyana was indeed considered a backward nation under the PNC but not anymore. Maybe Mr. Vieira needs a light to see what is clear in the day, but Guyanese don’t. For Vieira’s information, backwardness implies failure, stagnation and even degradation, but Guyana has been prospering since the PPP/C came to office. Backwardness also implies being left behind as others move on. The TV business in Guyana is a fine example. Mr. Vieira’s comments on GPL, the Airport and Marriott Hotel projects are also fine examples of backwardness, shallow thinking, lack of vision and does not only confirm why his TV business failed but why the failure was inevitable. Mr. Vieira may be acquainted with a little legend in Guyana that a certain former businessman had sworn that no Indian will ever put their hand on his family’s property, but when a very rich Indian offered much more than his property (including a bankrupt business) was worth, he ate his words, swallowed his pride, sold the property without hesitation, took the money and jumped on a plane to another country to hide his shame. A few years later, when he would have gotten over the shame or when he was finished blowing out the money, not sure which one, he returned to Guyana with barefaced accusations to all and sundry.

Last Updated on Friday, 23 August 2013 23:43

Topics

Add Reply

Skip to main content

Topics

Add Reply

Membership Required

Remove From Your Block List

Manage Follow Preferences

Block

Premium Membership Required

GNI VIP Member

Please wait...