Dear Editor,
It is clear that politics has become a gravy train. The public mantra about service to the people no longer matters. The act by Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar to go to court in order that they can live luxurious lives, has confirmed a view held in many quarters: politicians don’t care a damn about the people.
The capped benefits by the National Assembly of $75,000 each month for telephone and electricity bills, is in excess of the pension earned by persons who have served this country for more than 35 years in the public service, and many who are currently employed and are required to deliver eight-hours service a day.
It is not the vulgar and unconscionable $1.4 million pension each of these men receives per month that the National Assembly capped. It is the open-ended arrangement whereby they have access to an unlimited amount of state cars, armed police guards at their premises, and staff.
The act of Mr Jagdeo going to court is characteristic of the contempt he has for Guyanese and therefore comes as no surprise.
But the collusion of Mr Ramotar is surprising given that he was in the trade union movement, and would have condemned the PNC leadership for riding on the backs of workers, had they engaged in similar or lesser conduct. Mr Ramotar would have mobilised protests against the recourse to the courts he and Mr Jagdeo are now involved in.
The double standards of these men is clearly saying to the society that politics is not about the people and their development; it is about a few using political office for their own benefit.
During and after his presidency Mr Ramotar said to this society that he is his own man, not operating in the shadow of Mr Jagdeo or on instructions from Mr Jagdeo. It is either that Mr Ramotar is not his own man or both men are self-serving. This is troubling and should be of concern to rank and file supporters of the PPP.
The act of going to court can be deemed a personal attack against workers and the taxpaying public, given we have an economy that can ill afford extravagance, something of which both men are aware.
Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis
