Dear Editor,
“It is the same measure that you use to judge others with which you will be judged”. This missive is primarily focused to address the open hypocrisy that is on display as it relates to ‘goings on’ in our country today and the fact that many good men are now ‘silent’. Editor, it is my belief that no one should have been shocked by the passage of the no-confidence motion against the APNU+AFC Administration on the 21st December 2018, bearing in mind the litany of woes that have been heaped on this Granger-led administration, not even bullyism, intimidation and coercive dirty tactics were sufficient to prevent this certain outcome. It would seem that this tone deaf administration, possessed by the twin sins of ignorance and arrogance prevented this government from listening to the cries of the poor, vulnerable, hopeless and hapless citizens.
Case in point, when this administration collected the 18 Million USD signing bonus from oil giant ExxonMobil; hid it for more than a year; did not put it in the Consolidated Fund; did not put it in a deposit fund; lied to the nation by stating “never requested never received’ when referring to this large sum of money; dismissed it and tried to switch it as a figment of Jagdeo’s imagination. When the nation saw the actual evidence of the existence of this signing bonus and the admissions made in parliament by different government ministers each spouting different stories, the nation concluded that this was a cabal in suits but lacking in character. This is what Uncle Flemming of the Demerara riverain community, a man over 80 years of age, a devout and praying Christian had to say about this administration “Bishop, you will know them by their fruits not by their suits, it’s not their words , it’s their works”. The hurt that the Guyanese people felt by this betrayal , the hiding, non-disclosure, secret dealings of the first monies received from oil caused questions to be asked ‘could we trust these people’ not even if all of the 18 Million USD is spent on a massive Public Relations campaign can the APNU+AFC win back the trust of the masses.
The travel by senior government functionaries to Houston, Texas is still unexplained and of concern to the man in the street, the lack of answers as to the existence of a ‘negotiating brief’ and who were the principal negotiators remains cloaked in darkness. The removal of oil and gas portfolios from the ministry of natural resources after public criticisms and pressure by the parliamentary opposition and members of civil society in relation to the Production Sharing Agreement was merely a shuffling of the pack not a solution to the problem.
Utilizing the same measurements used by the APNU+AFC administration to judge the actions of the previous administration, this APNU+AFC administration have been tried, tested and found most wanting, in every aspect of good governance. A revelation of moral bankruptcy, empty suits indeed. This is but one instance of APNU+AFC behaviour, a mere tip of the iceberg, over the coming weeks I will delve into the murky depths plumbed by this unscrupulous cabal as they enriched themselves, family and cronies at the expense of the nation.
Yours faithfully,
Bishop Juan A Edghill