Dear Editor,
Leaders in Guyana are so arrogant. They feel that after coming to the people and getting their support to be elected, appointed or selected they are no longer accountable to those who are responsible for getting them there.
The PPP with each passing year is becoming more and more arrogant and dictatorial. People live in daily fear of crime and exclusion. Everyday you open the papers there is a crime story and persons expressing dissatisfaction with government. The government is unresponsive and uncaring and has been unable to curb spiralling crime despite numerous local recommendations and promises by the international community to assist.
The opposition political parties are unresponsive to their supporters and behave like spoilt brats fighting and distrusting each other. As the government in waiting, there is not much to set store by their behaviour.
The trade union movement is divided over politics and representing the workers. FITUG will never criticise the government’s mismanagement and wrongs. The TUC President refuses to respond to a few questions asked by a letter writer.
The business and religious communities do little to help and the masses are poor and feel powerless.
The contempt leaders show for their members and customers can stop. People can be poor but they are not powerless. If in unison Indians and Africans; PPP, AFC, GAP/ROAR and PNC supporters; shoppers; religious and non-religious; unionized and non-unionized workers; rural, hinterland and urban dwellers can come together and demand that the leaders be accountable for their inaction they will be forced to listen. There is nothing like people’s power and there is no need for a Jagan, Burnham and Hoyte, we can do it for ourselves. Guyanese can dedicate a day to refuse to attend worship, withdraw their labour, their shopping and support from the businesses, political parties and unions and then these arrogant leaders will be forced to see where the real power lies.
Yours faithfully,
Dindial Naipaul
