By GHK Lall- Excellency Irfaan Ali is on the move. Dr. Ali it is; no disrespectful intent. In his movements, much is skewered, men and women smacked, plus what is believed to lift the spirits and inspire to the grandness of genuine patriotism. A strange word that one is, such a rarity it is in today’s Guyana. When there’s the mad rush to grab at oil cash, there will always be a clash that leaves patriotism in second place, one that suffers from the humiliation of being lapped several times.
I begin in reverse order, in this measurement of Guyana’s head-of-state on the move, creating a dust cloud wherever he touches down. A whirlybird of a helicopter is he, given some of the areas he selected to land. I believe that there is some thinking that Pres. Ali could walk on water, which he is set to try shortly. Go for it, sir. I am with him on this one, for I believe that if anyone in Guyana can walk on water, it is Mohamed Irfaan Ali. Now I urge all Guyanese, wherever resident, to take a close listen to their president. I have. “We will protect every inch of Guyana’s territory with vigilance and resolve.” Hear, hear, and well said, Dr. Excellency.
I hear also the scratching of the pens in Office of the President, and the clacking of old typewriters for the more seasoned scriptwriters. I will criticize neither the national leader nor his stable of scriptwriters. All I will say is that I hope that those words can be lived up to by all able-bodies citizens should the war clouds hanging over this region reach drenching point. Guyanese know of rent-a-citizen, compliments of oil developments, the availability of locals to fill a need. Let’s hope that the vigilance and resolve needed in Guyana doesn’t push some fat cat Guyanese to rent-a substitute, or rent-a-defender. It did happen in the American Civil War of 1861-65.
Technology must be of a huge aerial footprint, with a huger contribution likely. But when all is said and done, there will always be the immediate need for troopers on the ground to hold the line, with eyes wide open, and heart steeled. Can it be done? Yes! Is there that caliber of Guyanese, including those consumed by capitalising on the commodity cash flow, who are willing to lay it all on the line? What Sir Winston conditioned his listeners represented nothing but “blood, sweat, and tears.”
Of the sweat and tears locally, I am not doubtful. But of the blood, especially one’s own, that’s iffy. The local environment has confirmed that when there is a dirty job to do, there is always a willing flunkey or proxy raising his or her hand to signal readiness. Gold smuggling conforms. Bottom line: talk can be inspiring, transcending. Talk can also be cheap, have few first responders.
Before that there was government’s celebration of World Stats Day. Since the president is on the move, I appeal to him to move the chief statistician to release the almost three-year old Census Report, regardless of the surprises that it holds. If that was a child, he or she would already be in school. The elections are done, gone, in the bag. So there! Why not the Census Report to confirm that the president is moving to fix loose ends.
Pres. Ali worked himself up into a lather, and moved to address East Bank Road chaos. He has proven adept at turning that heat switch (rage, impatience, unhappiness) on and off at will. When is he really bent out shape about contractors? When over poor management and poor works, since the folks involved are mainly his own insiders, and their contractual obligations are so many that they overlap?
Remember that early dawn in December 2024 when it was the same Pres. Irfaan Ali (Dr.) who slammed his hand on the table, and put on his roadshow for the Guyanese public. Again, I ask: how serious is the president, and how seriously should he be taken, when he rushed to the East Bank Demerara to read another riot act? This must be a hell of a lawless place; riot acts galore. An international airport in an economy on the move (I thank HE, more than the oil patrimony), and travelers are held hostage for hours.
I respectfully suggest to Pres. Ali, PM Mark Antony, VP Jaggy, and the entire cabinet: reintroduce the standard, rebuild the practice, of senior public servants standing before Guyanese and presenting the facts, from flaws to failures to fulfillments. Take a step back leaders, relinquish the spotlight, deal with policy, and get real business done. Best to all.
