Dear Editor,
During the recent debate in parliament on the APNU+AFC government’s first proposed budget I tried to follow the contributions of the opposition. I was interested in the PPP/C’s contribution to the discourse primarily because I wanted to hear if any of their parliamentarians would take the opportunity to be humble. To, even without saying sorry for what they did to the country, at least transmit to the nation their sense of remorse by their tone for the many wrongs that party had done during its long reign over Guyana. Instead I heard the unbelievable screaming of the self-righteous. Since I was a Senior Youth and Sports Officer at the time of the PPP assuming power in 1992 I was particularly interested in hearing what ex -Minister Frank Anthony and Mr. Neil Kumar would say. Unfortunately I heard nothing about whether or not Doctor Anthony did address the parliament, but I did read Mr. Kumar’s address. The report stated that Mr. Kumar criticized the APNU+AFC government for being partisan and not above board in its appointing of persons to senior positions in areas for which the government has a say. By contrast he sought to use his appointment as Director of Sports and Secretary of the National Sports Development Council (NSDC) to show how impartial the PPP/C was when it was in power.
However, the truth of Mr. Neil Kumar’s appointment as Sports Director and secretary of the NSDC is somewhat different to the story told by Mr. Kumar. Around the time of the PPP/C’s assumption of power in 1992, the then Director of Sports and Secretary of the NSDC Mr. Ivor O’Brien resigned. He was then succeeded by Mr. Bertram Butters who was his deputy at the time. The Ministry of Education; which had responsibility for Youth and Sports; did advertise the post of Director of Youth and Sports. Mr. Butters, Mr. Kumar and others did apply for the job but strange enough no interviews for the job were ever held. In the advertisement it was stated that the qualification required was a Degree in Social Work or a diploma in Social Work with at least five years’ experience as a Sports Administrator. At that time, if my memory serves me right, Mr. Neil Kumar was the holder of only a diploma in Tourism and with no publicly known experience as a Sports Administrator. Mr. Butters on the other hand was the holder of a Commonwealth Diploma in Youth Work, a Diploma in Social Work and was about to complete his studies which led to him obtaining the Degree in Social Work. Even more to his credit, Mr. Butters had over 10 years’ experience as a Sports Administrator. Further, at the time the late Ken DeAbreu was the Chairman of the NSDC and he, satisfied with the performance of Mr. Butters, was desirous of him being confirmed to the position of Secretary of the Commission. I got the impression that he made his desire known to the then minister with responsibility for Sports – the late Dr. Dale Bisnauth. However Mr. DeAbreu informed a small number of persons that Dr. Bisnauth informed him that Mrs Janet Jagan had instructed him to ensure that the job be given to Mr. Neil Kumar.
Editor it was interesting to read Mr. Kumar’s telling of the story, he spoke of being “recommended to the then Minister of Sports Dale Bisnauth” but skillfully avoided telling the parliament who recommended him. Mr. Kumar further had the temerity to say to the government “the process went through, not like what you are doing now victimizing and kicking out people willy-nilly.” Neglecting to mention he was given the job by the PPP/C government even though he was absolutely unqualified for same. I sat in my chair and read Mr. Kumar’s address over and over in disbelief as memories of the numerous times the PPP/C government discriminated against many competent Guyanese. Now Mr. Kumar feels comfortable to lie to the parliament in an effort to suggest his party has clean hands. What kind of person would feel comfortable doing this?
I remember the Cheddi Jagan government asking the United Nations for assistance in terms of helping it to acquire someone with some specific skills that the government did not have the resources to employ. I was interviewed by the UN and considered the best applicant. When the Cheddi Jagan government was told who the person chosen was, it indicated to the UN that it had found a suitable person. That person turned out to be an East Indian gentleman who was at the time a student of mine who, like Mr. Kumar, had absolutely no qualifications or experience in the area of the work to be done. I brought this situation to the attention of Dr. Jagan, he did nothing. During the reign of the Jadgeo government I could only find employment with various international agencies operating in Guyana. On the few occasions on which I was able to gain fairly well paying employment with the government it was when friends who enjoyed a good relationship with the PPP/C government were given contracts to do work they could not do. My friends would employ me, I would do the work and I suspect they would then assert their names on my work for the purpose of submission. Both the Jadgeo and Ramotar governments had some ‘serious’ work done by me in their possession without knowing it.
What is it about members of the PPP that make them feel comfortable with being hypocritical? We had Komal Chand movingly sharing his new found concern for the smaller unions suggesting (or was he demanding) that the APNU+AFC government needs to make budgetary assistance available to these unions. Gail Teixeira, perhaps the most presumptuous and devious female member of the PPP hierarchy, mockingly genuflecting to the government side, apparently to indicate they were behaving like royalty. Then the icing on the cake Mr. Bharrat Jadgeo having the gall to tell the nation that he will be the watchdog for us, ensuring that the government is transparent in all its dealings. How do they do this – look at you with a pained face conveying hurt and a sense of being wronged?
Yours faithfully,
Claudius Prince
