I have good news for Guyanese and the PPP Government; it is the proverbial silver lining in Technicolor action. Doan tek wurreez wid dah 38% US tariff slapped on Guyana. It, too, will pass without too much of anything resembling the pugnacious. Pugnacious is the practice of punks, and look who Guyana and the USA have in the heroic forms of Dr. Irfaan “Captain America” Ali and Mr. Donald “the Dealmaker” Trump respectively. The Guyana Government will engage the US government, help it see the error of its ways. I think much headway will be made.
After all, Guyana and the USA are special friends, now birds of the same plumage and their crooning, captivating warbles. I give Excellency Ali and Secretary of State Rubio at their singing best. Guyana will be cut some slack, which is what I predict. C’mon, people, it can’t be all USA and nothing for Guyana but 2% and zero percent, and now this big bouncing baby boy of them all 38%. Have a heart, America. On careful reconsideration, this could be part of the pricing package for the highly touted US security package. What choice would Guyana have, should push come to shove, and this country gets shoved in front of a loaded sand truck? I nominate the PPP Government to be given the honor of being first in line for the business part of that fast-moving sand truck wheels. The beautiful Ali-Jagdeo duet virtually handed America, the whole of Guyana in a barrel. He who surrenders must be ready for the plunders that follow automatically. I think that 38% is a fine, round number; no messy fractions, no oddities in that one. Nevertheless, the lines in the palm of my hand relay to me that the dealer and bargainer in Donald Trump is now out on full global display. Whoever wants to party, the door is wide open. There will be some consideration in Guyana’s favor.
The eight in 38 could be gone, which I think that the Americans would consider a glorious example of the American Way about fair play in operation. My position would be how about removing the 30 and leaving the 8, so that the playing field is really level, and Guyana is the recipient of that “different ad preferential” treatment about which the visionary Dr. Irfaan Ali spoke so majestically about. “Different and preferential” treatment is a two-way street, and when special friends are involved, like Guyana and America, then it is an expressway of mutual care and reciprocal courtesies. I tender tariffs.
Separately, and from now, I must admit to some reluctant admiration for Pres. DJ Trump. He has no favorites; friends and foes are given the same special treatment. It is the edge of his steel-tipped policeman boots. All Guyanese do well to remember that America did appoint itself policeman of the world. There were no policewomen back in those days. It would also be a signal development if Mr. Routledge could put in a good word for Guyana. Get Rex Tillerson to do it, please. Exxon does have reach and much muscle up there in 1600 Pennsylvania. C’mon Alistair, give something to get something. More of all those great things that have been among Guyana’s gifts to Exxon. Nobody is talking about elimination of that 38% in tariffs, just some material reduction. By the way, this is the prework, schoolwork, homework, and Guyana Government work that Excellency Samuel A.A. Hinds A.A should have been fully engaged in, and not media work for Exxon.
Since I am in the ambassadorial phase of this public work, I respectfully call on Excellency Nicole D. Theriot to weigh-in on Guyana’s side. Look how good Guyana has been to America. Why, it is even readying to receive more than its share of deportees, especially those from other climes. Cooperation and collaboration breed consideration. If it helps, the PPP Government is willing to sacrifice the Cubans and send them to Guantanamo. Not all of them just the medical ones. Relative to Cubans, Donald Trump is as serious as a sickness. Because he recognizes weakness in the Government of Guyana, he is going to hang on to that one. On the other hand, I could anticipate him being flexible on tariffs, as those pertain to Guyana’s tender welfare. My concern is how more Guyana is going to absorb in what is a distinctly one-sided partnership, relationship, friendship. First, the PPP is all for Exxon, and it gets kicked in the behind. Then, the government of Ali-Jagdeo outdid itself (maybe outsmarted itself), it threw everything, I mean everything concerning Guyana, in America’s hands. When I saw Mr. Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff list, I said that no way that Guyana would be there. Or, if it was, it would be for some token tariff number, say, five percent. But 38% is a slap in the face and a kick in the groin. As said, I believe it will wither away to the negligible. Just give it some time, and let the headlines fadeaway. Pres. Ali will get to burnish his statesman’s skills and boast of how much he squeezed out of America. My puzzle amounts to this: is Guyana a joke, or is it that man fancies himself a jester? How I see it, call it.
