Dear Editor,
Leadership is an activity; not a position and that seems to be the fundamental mistake Mr. David Arthur Granger is making again and again. He operates as if he was placed in a position for life. However, the only certainty in life is uncertainty and when you entered the office, your duty was to get down to activities in service to the people; not hide from the work, and spend valuable taxpayer dollars irresponsibly on more wasteful rentals, more unnecessary painting of buildings in green and more executive flights.
As we are talking about spending, let us observe the current expenditure spent on rental and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure over the 5 years from April 2015 to March 2020, where 58 of those 60 months were under Team Granger. Over these 5 years, Team Granger literally doubled spending on rental and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure. The Bank of Guyana Report supports the conclusion that spending on rental and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure moved from G$6.8 billion to G$13.1 billion. (see graph below).
Yet these very same people have inadequate cash to support the Guyanese people with food hampers and safety masks during this time of dire need – the COVID-19 pandemic. The evidence will reveal that Team Irfaan Ali’s National Taskforce has distributed more than 200,000 facemasks across all 10 regions. Meanwhile, Team Granger had money to distribute less than 1/20th of these vitally needed items, but no shortage of cash for the likes of Larry Singh and the Sussex Street bond rental contract.
While Team Irfaan Ali’s National Taskforce had distributed more than 75,000 food hampers across the country, Team Granger with the entire Treasury in its corner only had cash to distribute 1/12th of that output from Team Ali. The struggle is real out there for the most vulnerable of families and I cannot understand why Mr. Granger is so indifferent to their plight. The evidence will illustrate that every weekend Team Ali is in the field, offering their services, free of cost, as volunteers, as a private, non-government citizens doing what the Government is being paid to do.
And yet Mr. Granger and his Team think they have what it takes to manage this nation for the next 5 years, if God forbids and they are allowed to steal the elections? Leadership is about being clear in your purpose around the objective of lifting all boats, all the time. In this case, a boat is referred to as the economic welfare of the Guyanese families. Clearly, the facts will show that Mr. Granger does not have what it take to mobilize others to do the difficult task of lifting these boats for the common good.
In the final analysis. Time is up. Time to step aside. It is time to end this squandermania like these over-priced rental contracts to their inner circle and that is only contributing to the widening of the economic divide between the Granger cabal and the people.
Yours faithfully,
Sasenarine Singh
