By GHK Lall- Gratifying that Guyana scholar, Dr. Ashni Singh had his visitation of sanity -benefits bill deferred. May it be permanent. Both the deferment and sanity. Lightning does strike, and I’m glad that it struck Minister Singh with a positive surge. Sure, he is the face of the benefits bill for ex-presidents. The proxy must suffice, though none should be fooled. Now I leave Minister Singh to bask in his moment of doing what’s decent, what’s encouraging for poor Guyanese. I move to the small company of ex-presidents. They may all regard me even lesser by the time the last word is written.
Ex-president Sam Hinds, ex-president Bharrat Jagdeo, ex-president Donald Ramotar, and ex-president David Granger. Often, I regret being compelled to think so poorly of them; some poorer than some. But this I believe with extreme fervency. Not one of them would have wasted one minute, used one brain cell, to drum up the outline, then the structure of this utter revulsion given the name of a benefits bill for ex-presidents. In their time, and beyond, each has manifested that he can be self-centered. But not one of them has it in him to be this grasping. Not Hinds, not Jagdeo, not Ramotar, not Granger. Even in better than today’s times, they simply would not have allowed any moment of such overwhelming greed and cunning self-interest to overtake them, then exhibit it in public.
And, when the times are as bad as they are for Guyanese shedding copious bitter tears over their struggles to live like human beings (human beings in a world-beater of a country), not one of these Excellencies could or would have thought of, dreamt about, or disfigured himself over this repugnance of a benefits bill. I can’t claim to know these former leaders of Guyana to any great extent. But there is enough knowledge to know that not one of them is imbued with such an obscenity of the spirit to have come up with this foxlike construction that benefits them, while the mass of Guyanese is crawling on their knees, if not their bellies.
Which one of them has it in himself to be so stench-emanating, so puke-inducing, and so self-enriching that there is this inhuman, beastly, monstrous, indifference to the trials of ordinary Guyanese? Not one of them, I think. And if one of them, or all of them, were to make me abhor my confidence, then that would have to be what’s swallowed. Having said all this, I now issue a public call to Excellencies Hinds, Jagdeo, Ramotar, and Granger. Step forward individually, step forward together, and say 12 small words. Not I. There is no interest, no wish, to be a beneficiary.
Twelve little words that would convey a world of meaning to aching, despondent, and used and abandoned Guyanese. It would indicate that former presidents care. Confirms that four former national leaders have a heart. Four men demonstrate that they are not about raiding and grabbing for themselves from the people’s treasury. Four former heads of state reveal that they have a soul, and deep in that soul is a love for the Guyanese people. Not love for self. Not love for their own interests above all other considerations. Not so much in love with their self-serving natures that they seek to benefit by one penny from this vulgarity that is bathed in the blood of Guyanese and handed the name of a benefits bill for ex-presidents.
On rare occasions men of standing are provided with an opportunity to bare before the world what they are made of, who they really are deep inside. This is such a moment for Excellencies Hinds, Jagdeo, Ramotar, and Granger to prove themselves profound in the face of this perversion without compare. They turn their backs on the benefits proposition for ex-presidents, and they would have joined their hands and hearts to those of Guyanese who could use their company. For Hinds, Jagdeo, Ramotar, and Granger, it could be their honorable hour, that one moment for which they will always be remembered with respect, with appreciation unprecedented.
