Dear Editor,
I read with some concern the letter by Dr. Randy Persaud, titled “ Defend Guyana from Venezuelan aggression!” in Kaieteur News, 3/11/2023, in which he demonises the three Venezuelans, President Nicolas Maduro, Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez, and President of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodiguez as the evil trio.
I have no difficulty with his assessment. He then pronounced on the Guyanese quartet, who he described as the four stalwarts, President Mohamed Irfan Ali, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo or in the Office of the President responsible for Finance, Ashni Singh.
Let me congratulate Dr. Persaud on his new mathematics making three into four.
When will these propagandists stop insulting our intelligence? If he listens to the Stabroek News, Village Voice and the Glenn Lall show, he would know who are the authentic stalwarts, so to speak.
On the issue of Venezuela and Essequibo, I’ve been in the struggle against imperial aggression as manifested long before Dr. Persaud saw the light of day and I remain standing to ward off any attempt by Venezuela to seize a blade of grass or a shovel of our mud from the Essequibo.
My worry is, however, that the PPP top brass has demonstrated ineptness, incompetence and share folly in dealing with our western neighbour. I repeat, speaking with people in-the-know, we have not been able to first identify with some accuracy where these thirty, forty or thousands of Venezuelans are. How many are genuine refugees, how many have been sent by the Maduro regime to settle and subvert.
Ordinary Guyanese are yet to be told how these new immigrants, settlers, interlopers, visitors or genuine refugees are being housed, clothed and fed. The big challenge is the resources generated internally or externally? Even for stout patriots, how can we defend and why should we sacrifice the lives of our youngsters in a country where the divide along economic and social lines are plain to see.
I suggest that the stalwarts be part of a frontline militia to face the Venezuelan soldiers on the border. The forward line should be friends, families and those in receipt of these large contracts and other opportunities. In the backup battalion will be the sons and daughters who will remain in the towns, villages and communities not insulated from the rising cost of living.
When the fastest growing economy in the world translates to the benefit of every citizen, no one will be emboldened to think they can trespass on our territory because they would know that every citizen everywhere will eagerly be in the frontline.
Dr. Persaud and his ilk must deal with the gut issues so that they remove the cloud from their eyes and end the propaganda stunt.
I conclude to make myself clear with words of my favourite writer and philosopher, the Prophet Khalil Gibran “Pity the Nation whose sages are dumb with years and whose strongmen are yet in the cradle. Pity the Nation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation.”
The border issue, in other words, gives the PPP government an opportunity to really unite this Nation by (a) ending all forms of corruption, (b) sharing fairly the massive wealth now available and { c) consulting those who represent over forty percent of the population in all matters of significance and importance to the nation state.
Yours truly,
Hamilton Green.
Elder
