Dear Editor,
It is unnecessary for me to defend the latest assault by the Editorial and column writers in the State controlled Chronicle in their heightened assault on independent media, the likes of Stabroek News, Kaieteur News and others. They are quite capable of defending themselves.
The General Secretary of the PPP twisted arguments about the bourgeoisie. In his recent Press tirade demonstrates the PPP’s confusion and distortion about our colonial experience and the origin of the term bourgeoisie, initially used as early as the eighteenth century and later used in a rather uncomplimentary manner. But they say in Guyana the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
One only example of the absurdity in the fulmination of the Chronicle and PPP Top-brass is that the Housing drive only started under the PPP What about Melanie Damishana, Dazzell Housing Scheme, (which land the PPP has given to private developers), Agnes Bend-Kirton Court, Shirley Field Ridley Square, Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Amelia Ward,Housing Scheme, Linden, Essequibo Coast and many others.
But Editor, for now I refer to a single matter. In his historically perverted presentation, the top-brass of the PPP is claiming that thousands of Guyanese are coming home. People have come home since the end of the two world wars, but people have come home to settle and invest their savings when at least these conditions exist. One, they feel safe at home in Guyana, second, there is no discrimination and third, there are medical and health conditions that provide them a modicum of comfort and availability. Today neither exists in this fastest growing economy.
The Government’s effort has put the cart before the horse, building schools, hospitals, roads, etc, before ensuring the proper training of teachers, medical personnels and the supply of drugs and equipment , etc.
Today, I simply give two examples as a result of personal experience.. We have to rely on certain medications, such as eye-drops, imported for the public institutions, monopolized by friends of the Government and which burn the eyes in most cases. I wrote about drugs like eliquis, and others not available for cardiac conditions in the fastest growing economy.
Editor, when next your reporters interview the top-brass of this Government, they should explain this and other medications not available in the public hospitals and health centers, and sometimes the high cost to ordinary folks is oft times beyond their reach in the private sector.
In short, even as the Administration is erecting signs of Dr. Jagan, as Father of the Nation whose life was dedicated as Burnham subtly put it ‘to make the small man a real man.’ The way they are handling or should I say mishandling the oil and gas sector and our other precious non-renewable natural resources is a betrayal of Dr. Jagan’s PPP and those who fought against imperialist machinations for Independence.
With clever language, ordinary folks are getting the pennies and the dollars, while a selected few are getting the pounds and the big bucks and the reality being even as the cost of living worsens, the disdain and disrespect for the Unions representing workers continues unabated.
This latest announcement by His Majesty Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali to dole out sums to pensioners and public sector employees is a monumental insult. It is a return to the hay-day which characterises the savagery of slavery and the indignity of indentureship where occasionally you handout from the throne of the master, crumbs from the master’s table.
So the Government decides on hand-outs, like ‘Father Christmas,’ ignoring the decency of consulting the Trades Unions, representing public servants, teachers, nurses, etc.
Look around Dear Editor, look around Dear Citizens and we are having the emergence of a nouveau riche class, compliments of the PPP.
When I listen to our present crop of leaders in Government I don’t hear the echo of Cuffy Accrabe, Edun, Critchlow, the Enmore Martyrs, Jagan, Burnham, Quamina, Pollydore and those who fought to break the yoke of colonialism and imperialist domination. For all I hear in dealing with the management of our country in particular our oil and gas sector is reminiscent of his master’s voice, where the clever puppeteers behind the screen manipulate and direct the puppets in high office. So with Christmas coming when figures show from oil and gas alone, each family should earn an additional half of a million dollars per month.We dole out a pittance which goes back into the pockets of the mercantile class who with few exceptions support the PPP.
If the Government is to be true to its lofty words they should first make all education free from kindergarten to University and be provided a credible health service where ordinary folks can obtain quality medicines and service and not either go abroad or die.
I borrow the wisdom from the Prophet by Khalil Gibran “ Pity the Nation that acclaims the bully as hero and deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.”
We must resist this return to the savagery of slavery and the indignity of indentureship. Thank God for an independent media.
Yours truly,
Hamilton Green.
Elder
