Many of us had come to enjoy the series started just a century ago entitled: “Believe it, or Not” by Ripley. It brought out facts of real events that seemed unbelievable. In Guyana today, recent events suggest we can do well with a Guyana version of “Believe it, or not”. Mind you, I have always had difficulty differentiating between the first and the last vowels of our language.
Last week, the learned judge delivered a judgment berating the behaviour of our Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This agency, as established, is an autonomous body created to protect the environment; an agency intended to be free from the burden of any political grouping. Understandably, in order to effectively execute its mandate.
The environment today is crucial because of the universally accepted need to protect the earth we dwell on. So important is this, that, when he was president, Bharrat Jagdeo was ordained ‘Champion of the Earth.’ When the judgment last week exposed inadequacies of the EPA, we would have expected that the ‘Champion of the Earth’ would have led in the praise and expression of gratitude for this grand decision by Justice Kissoon when he delivered the judgment demanding that the EPA puts itself in order within thirty (30) days. Details are known to the public and this letter need not repeat the details.
But low and behold, believe it, or not, this ‘Champion of the Earth’ was the first to announce that the PPP Government would appeal this decision favourable to all citizens of Guyana. The first issue is, if as this government and previous governments have proclaimed, that the EPA is autonomous, why then our illustrious Vice President and Attorney General should come out so swiftly to announce that this decision would be appealed?
This supports the widely held belief that the EPA is no more than the ‘handmaiden’ of the PPP Administration. Something is very wrong. Is it, Editor, as citizens, our ship of state has attached to it pernicious barnacles that could not serve the best interest of citizens in Guyana? Editor, there is a worrisome dimension to this episode.
As one who took part in the independence struggle and tears of joy filled my eyes when we lowered the Union Jack, the symbol of imperial domination and a reminder of the horrors of colonial exploitation, and the Golden Arrowhead was hoisted at the National Park for the first time. Present at that momentous moment were also our two titans, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham and Dr. Cheddi Bharrat Jagan. If the present perception that this appeal constitutes a summersault of our struggle for independence, then the present architects of this reversal should hang their heads in shame.
The PPP constitution is clear, it is socialist, working class and committed to doing all things possible to further the interest of Guyanese. For me, Editor, this appeal with the rather spurious arguments in the states’-controlled media is a blatant and banal assault on the dignity of every Guyanese.
This is not the time for the parliament led by a Guyanese speaker to deny the people an opportunity to express through their representatives their disgust, disdain and disappointment of a group who seem not to understand the significance of independence and the need to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery. Let us hope, as the late teacher, trade unionist, Kenneth Wesley Edward Denny would have said, that an attitudinal metamorphosis takes place in this present administration.
May God help us.
