Dear Editor,
It has been more than eight months since Donald Ramotar was sworn in as President of Guyana. During the ceremony on December 3, 2011, President Ramotar said that he would be President of all the people of Guyana and Commander in Chief of the armed forces. “I promise to be a fair and just President; to govern in the interests of all; to ensure that the legitimate aspirations of our people are respected; and the resources of this great land of Guyana benefit all of our people,” he said.
Did this minority PPP government “govern in the best interest of all” including those in Linden? The fact that President Ramotar finally decided to visit Linden on August 16, twenty-nine days after the unrest started, to empathize with the people of that community is a gross insult to Lindeners and to all the citizens of Guyana. For almost a month, Lindeners have endured pain and suffering mainly as a result of the unlawful acts of the police, and he was nowhere in sight. So for him to use the road blockages as an excuse for not going earlier is dishonest because he knows that roads are not the only way to access Linden. Are the GDF helicopters white elephants or what?
Did the regime provide opportunities for the Linden Martyrs, their families or members of that community similar in kind and magnitude to the Philip Bynoes of Linden to fulfil their “legitimate aspirations”? Let us make it clear that it is not only Lindeners who are suffering in Guyana. The Davekumar Jainauths on the sugar belt are suffering today under this government. So too are the Clyde James of Mahdia, Mabaruma and Monkey Mountain, and the 14-year-old whose genitalia were set on fire by some rogue police officers. None in the working class, not even the young, the poor and the powerless are spared.
How can Mr Ramotar end corruption and nepotism when officials of his government are considered to be part of the problem? The head of state seems to make the same mistake as his predecessor Mr Jagdeo, namely, that the citizens of Guyana are foolish and can be taken for granted.
They seem to ignore the rude awakening given to the PPP at the polls by the electorate.
Where have the poor and working class credentials of the PPP gone?
However one chooses to spin for the PPP, the truth is that the regime has let the poor and the working class people down just as it did over the last twelve years when the ‘untouchables‘ were allowed to become rich at the expense of the poor who are worse off today than they were a decade ago.
The Linden crisis and the utterances from members of the super-salaried political cast like Gail Teixeira clearly expose the fact that the government continues to be clueless about the developmental challenges that Linden and by extension the nation faces, and there are no solutions in sight. We plead with the Bishops of the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches and the Pastors of the Pentecostal Church to step forward to help heal this nation.
The people of Linden are crying out for help and it appears that the regime has refused to listen. Instead, they have frowned upon the opposition and the Region Ten negotiators, including Sharma Solomon and MP Vanessa Kissoon. Once again, the PPP displayed its arrogance when Ms Teixeira announced that the government had broken off all talks with the negotiators. So when the Region 10 Chairman, Sharma Solomon and Dr Roopnaraine of the WPA pronounced the talks fruitful, they did not have a clue who they were negotiating with.
When will the PPP start to create new jobs by the hundreds as promised in the campaign for the young and those willing to work? When will the government help Guyanese improve their skills and talent so that they can build sustainable careers?
When will the PPP start to govern in the interest of all? When will the PPP regime prosecute those who are alleged to have indulged in corrupt practices? All we get from the PPP is a menu of diversionary tactics designed to blame everyone under the sun but themselves for their political and administrative incompetence. The many statements of intent issued by the PPP and their blame-game tactics will not create jobs, solve the problems at Linden or run the country efficiently.
The time is now for President Ramotar to stop burying his head in the sand and reach out to the people. Yes, he should man-up and govern this country like a President of all the people, all the time. Our message to Mr Ramotar is clear: He should not abdicate his responsibilities and allow his presidency to be miniaturized so widespread corruption and fraud is facilitated.
Yours faithfully,
Asquith Rose
Harish S Singh
