Dear Editor,
SN‘s fixation on giving extraordinary prominence to some political critics brings into question whether it has a secret agenda. Does it and what is it? The reference is to SN’s bold front page headline ‘Retender Amaila or scrap it – Ram, Gaskin’ of 25th July.
SN seems to agree with Messrs Christopher Ram and Ramon Gaskin who advocate that the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) “should be retendered internationally or scrapped entirely, while warning that the cost associated with the project is well over the country’s US$1.7 billion national debt.” But can money counting skills count for the same as earning money? Certainly arguing about it outside the court does not make one an expert on governance.
Mr Forbes Burnham was a brilliant lawyer but look how sucessfully he plunged our country into economic decadence, etc. Every schoolboy knows that retendering would increase the total costs of the project. Does that matter? Would the PPP/C government then be exonerated for complying with what our critics advise when the project becomes more expensive than it is now?
So who are our critics rich big foreign friends who would rescue Guyana with better loans than what the communist Chinese have given us? Even America in recession owes China huge debts.
When SN constantly elevates private opinions it appears embarked on its own crusade to overwhelm. Only mayhem can result. It’s democracy at work you say? What qualifies either Mr Christopher Ram or Mr Ramon Gaskin to assume prophethood for Guyana’s deliverance from those builders of pyramids now emerging in the Guyjungle?
Many would like to bring an Arab Spring to Guyana. The AFC’s Mr Nigel Hughes and Dr David Hinds of the WPA are both on record as calling for renewed street protest, although this always results in violence. The AFC’s Dr Asquith Rose and Mr Sasenarine Harish Singh are our constant chortling chorus who find this most economically melodious.
Ascribing democratic rights to buzzing mosquitoes attempting to bite an elephant is as comical as it is incongruent with political reality. The mosquito can in no way fly off with the elephant or shake its trunk. But yet SN guards its no-fly air corridor with consistency like there is no tomorrow. Why shouldn’t it? The PPP/C targeted it by denying it advertising revenue.
But SN should also be aware that many including Guyana’s political matriarch President Janet Jagan opposed it and was put in her place in public humiliation. Neither are all guilty by association or entitled to be punished for the sins of the few. Shouldn’t the righteousness of the matriarch at least fall on all her Guyanese children in atonement? Maybe “like a wise and upright judge” they would like to ensure that “a Daniel is come to judgement.” But SN would rather ‘others’ do the legwork absolving them of any guilt or complicity.
All Guyanese have a right to their democratic opinion. But it would seem that Mr Ram possesses some mysterious special rights to be elevated in expression above all others. At least Mr Singh, Dr Hinds, Dr Rose and Mr Hughes have had the courage to openly join a political party by which their philosophy can be identified. Mr Ram has every right to be enamoured with capitalism as a recipe for success. So what prevents him from joining the AFC or UF?
Whatever the problems of the Amaila Hydro project the PPP/C must not be dissuaded. Full speed ahead with cheaper electricity.
Yours faithfully,
Sultan Mohamed
