Dear Editor,
When we think of a mango or fruit that is picked to eat before it is ripe, we are in force ripe territory. Or think of the case, where something is dressed to look as if it is fully matured or ready for commercial use. Guyanese have had a collection of these force ripe experiences in this political season. For example, the Marriott hotel is a classical exposition of being force ripe. It opened for business a few weeks ago, but construction is still on-going and financing is still to be completed. Any guess of the occupancy rate? Is it 10, 5 or 2 percent?
What is the value of the subsidy received on a daily basis from the treasury? Did I hear force ripe? What of the Skeldon factory and the sugar packaging plant? Both opened a long time ago but performance is far below expectations and it costs tax payers a ton of money. Are these as well force ripe?
Then there is “Morning Glory”. Morning Glory? Yes, another force ripe idea. It is recorded that the President visited the site and turned the sod.
He made a promise of jobs, but it would appear that the feasibility study for the project and its financing are not yet available. It is also important to point out that in naming your product, “Morning Glory”, you must check the meaning of the words used to identify your product to avoid any embarrassment. A quick check on the worldwide web will show why the name, ‘morning glory’ is not appropriate for a morning cereal. Caution is recommended to those who wish to visit the web.
But back to the force ripe idea and now the Specialty Hospital. Is the specialty hospital a force ripe idea? Yes it is, for tax payer money is wasted and legal action has been instituted to get a refund of tax payer money which seems like a lost cause, signaling another force ripe ‘plaything’ on the Guyanese palate. What of the Amaila-Motilall road to nowhere that cost tax payers millions of dollars daily? Add to this list of playthings the fibre optic cable, one lap top per family, the hopeless canal. Force ripe, tax payer expense? The answer is obvious. Finally, on May 7th 2015, Minister Robert Persaud forced an announcement before the private company made a press release about finding something in the Atlantic Ocean. Notice, I did not say commercial quantities of oil. To the time of writing all we have is only political posturing and a force ripe territory. Wake up Guyanese, this must stop. You know what to do.
Yours faithfully,
C. Kenrick Hunte