Dear Editor,
The situation in Guyana certainly makes us a rather unusual place – just look at events in Guyana over the past two decades. A writer could produce a best-seller titled, ‘Believe it or not – this is Guyana.’ We live in a country of tremendous resources, with the potential for the prosperity of 99% of our population, but lawlessness, disrespect for time-honoured conventions, and greed are consuming our society, destroying the basic values we took for granted in earlier generations.
Set aside unsolved murders, some which we do not want to solve (Vic Puran’s daughter’s letter in Stabroek News of 17th May is instructive), there is ceaseless corruption and many questions that remain unanswered. We can list hundreds, but going through my library last evening, I came upon the ‘dossier’ compiled in November 2009, in support of an international inquiry into grave human rights abuses in Guyana. On the second page appeared a sickening photograph showing the horrific torture meted out to 15-year-old Twyon Thomas at the hands of police officers at the Leonora Police Station. What is the extant position? – How easily we forget.
A minister of this government is killed and there are grand speeches at his funeral, yet years after his relative and the Guyanese public are yet to witness a proper inquest or inquiry – why? There must be some reason; after all, these are some of the things which identify a democracy which we are told we returned to in 1992.
We live in a country where to violate our constitution, believe it or not, is ‘no big ting.’ In spite of the constitution there is no proper human rights commission. Article 191 of our constitution is clear. The Ombudsman shall be appointed by the President acting after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. Yet believe it or not we have no such person or institution in place. In a democracy violators are punished, but this is Guyana.
No Ombudsman, no Public Procurement Commission, no Rating Appeal Panel, no respect for the National Assembly in Parliament, the highest law-making body in our land.
Then we have the collapse of the Rupununi Bridge, not for the first time; how many other bridges, how many millions. So now, we have a new set of ‘Nancy’ stories. Believe it or not.
As a simple lay person, I ask why after so many contracts and noise about the Amaila Falls project and road, why was a survey being done at this time? Another ‘Nancy’ story? Believe it or not – contacts, contracts but now a survey – for what purpose? We should be told.
What is the real story that we are not hearing about this Digital world mapping
exercise?
Next, after all this hype, relocation of sewerage pipes, the taking away of the Luckhoo Swimming Pool from the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, yet not one cent compensation to the City Council; now we learn that they will have to relocate the navigational lights to the top of the Marriott. Believe it or not – was a proper survey done? If so, before the first slab was put down, this nation ought to have been told the lighthouse would be compromised.
Believe it or not! What is really going on?
Is it not time to confront the purveyors of falsehood and disrespect?
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green, JP
