This is a country that has untold wealth: gold, diamonds, bauxite, fertile lands, vast timber reserves and the list goes on. We have less than a million people inhabiting 83,000 square miles. A significant percentage of them live below the poverty line.
You can count the billionaires who are rich according to British and American standards. A stone‘s throw away from Parliament Building where men in expensive attire and glib tongues park their million dollar vehicles and eat expensive meals and drink vintage wines, are ragged and destitute women and children seated on the dirty pavements outside Demico House. They sit there begging for crumbs to survive another day in their world of misery.
Even those who claim they are fighting for the rights of the poor, but drive expensive vehicles and live in expensive houses have been unable to win the battle of housing the many on the dirty and cold pavements outside Demico House and around Parliament Building, much less changing the plight of Guyana’s poorer class. Millions are given by international organisations to help the poor. Yet, the poor are becoming poorer.
The dynamics in Guyana‘s politics have changed after 20 years. Much is being exposed in terms of government corruption. Many believe that what is being exposed will not be corrected in the interest and to the benefit of taxpayers.
Many believe that back door negotiations are being made by opposition players for their personal aggrandisement.
These exposures are fuel for another elections period when there is a hypocritical struggle for the seat of power. Meanwhile, those seated on the pavement of destitution will be there come rain or sun.
We are not fools so we don’t expect any corrupt politicians or businessmen to be brought to justice. We will just read of their wrongdoing. Wrongdoing which has brought misery to countless Guyanese people who fall into the category of the vulnerable or unfortunate.
Until genuine results come from the power of our new found political situation, our opposition politicians will be measured by the same stick of oppression as the previous government and the present one. We have made giant leaps to nowhere. Things are even worse in 2012.
Yours faithfully,
Norman Browne
UK
