Dear Editor,

Over the past four decades since independence, we Guyanese have seen many personalities that have presented themselves as the alpha leaders of Guyana. Many of them have failed to state what they represent and how they would prepare Guyana for development. Yet we as a people continue to look at insignificant political posturing without asking the pertinent questions that are sine qua non for Guyana’s development.

Many have questioned reminiscing about the past, but after the PNC’s debacle in relation to Guyana’s economy, I thought that Mr Jagdeo’s elevation to the presidency would be a good thing for Guyana, even though I did not know what his views on the economy were. This thought was tempered by the fact that Mr Hinds had to vacate his position to enable Jadgeo to become the President.  Anyhow, Mr Jagdeo being new, was perceived as the fresh start that the country wanted. To date, we have seen where we have been misled. No one had the opportunity to question Mr Jagdeo about his views on Guyana’s economy and how he intended to develop the country; however, since he was not soiled by the politics of the time, I felt relieved that there had been a party change. How wrong could I have been.

The people of Guyana deserve to be represented by more astute politicians. We do not need anyone coming on the political scene without them first being questioned. Due to the fact that we as nation have been disparaged by our politicians, and now by the rest of the Caribbean, especially Barbados, we must be more cautious about whom we select as our leaders.

A few years ago I wrote a letter stating that Guyana should not be a member of Caricom due to the fact that we are an agrarian economy that manufactures nothing much. As such, I saw Guyana being swamped with products from our neighbours, thereby, stifling our infant industries. To date that is exactly what has happened. Last month walking through Stabroek Market I observed numerous products made in other countries dominating the market place. Other than some fruits, legumes and other greens, the market was inundated with foreign products that in some cases are also made in Guyana. A case in point is ‘sweet drinks.’ How could our infant industries flourish when they can’t compete?

Guyana must have some restrictions on what is being imported. An open market economy that is free is a misnomer and detrimental to a fledgling economy. Any astute politician would have known that there is no free market economy when you are at a production disadvantage and as such would have deferred membership. We the Guyanese public must now live with this dilemma, and had we not become a member of Caricom it would have easier to limit imports without some form of retribution from Caricom members.

For us to continue our ethnic selection of political leaders without asking tough questions of our politicians would continue the persistent insults by other countries, where many of their citizens, in prior years, were given economic refuge on Guyana’s shores. Consequently, my questioning of Van West Charles’s qualification to be leader of the PNC and a possible President of Guyana (‘Van West Charles is not the man to lead the PNC or be president,’ SN May 16) is predicated on the fact that Guyana needs people who are independent thinkers, loyal to the nation, altruistic, and without the unwanted mental approach that seems to surface when they occupy the highest office of the land.

Yours faithfully,
Patrick Barker