Dear Editor,
I was hoping against hope that it would not happen, but it is now official. I would hope, also, that a public servant of the calibre and pedigree of Dr. Vincent Adams, head of the local EPA, was astute enough to sense it coming and, thus, was prepared to roll with the blow of being sent on leave. What follows on this development involving Dr. Adams is more of a reminder and a recommendation; for, as I have given my word, the caustic and critical are muzzled for now.
To be sent on forced leave in Guyana is the equivalent of what the English used to do when the obnoxious and objectionable were dispatched to the Tower. It was just a matter of time before the execution took place. It is why I detect that Dr. Adams’ leave development is the beginning to the inevitable political final solution favoured by all (for emphasis: all) Guyanese politicians where public servants target loses their heads without justification. They have a recurring political pandemic sickness. In Dr. Adams instance, it was of the contamination of coalition consideration and company. The two are usually inseparable, with the guillotine employed to be rid of who are believed to stand in the way of plans and programs.
This is most unfortunate and misplaced in the person of Vincent Adams. A Guyanese stalwart with an outstanding record, I remind His Excellency. A diaspora member, who left the fleshpots of Washington – the rank, the prestige, the exposure, the recognition, and the influence – to give back to the place of his birth. I remind the president of those truths also, as they relate to and are embedded in a son of this soil, who seeks to serve and nothing else. If that is his sin, there is no pardon needed, no truncation of tenure should be contemplated, for he or anyone. But for those other sins – of association, of strength, of independence – I think those are unforgivable. As I pen this, I recognize that this may be beyond the borders of the new president’s range of thinking. And that, too, is regrettable.
But I mention all of this in public, if only to deliver humbly a couple of timely reminders to our well-esteemed Excellency of that which he also took great pride to present in flaring streaks before the public during his inaugural address. Dr. Ali spoke of inclusion of all Guyanese. He must have a different definition and understanding of those telling words ‘all’ and ‘inclusion’ than those that I embrace. And I respectfully remind the most honourable leader of this land, drained for dreary decades of its best and brightest, of his stirring thoughts, as articulated at the National Cultural Centre on that Inaugural Saturday, as they related to and highlighted the reaching to the diaspora for the many roles to be fulfilled here by skilled and wise Guyanese. It seems that Dr. Ali has already forgotten, or dismissed, the genuine application of that which he pronounced so fervently on during that witching hour. It is why I give the shortest of shrift to inaugural addresses and post-elections dazzlements as representative of so much fluff from flimsy people who make them. For the moment, the new youthful president is given space and opportunity to make good on his words, to manifest the magnificence of his truthfulness.
I would like to think he is up to the moment, that he may have some radical cell within that rebels and whispers: don’t go down that regular old road. Remember those promises made. Remember presidents are held to the highest standards. And, today, this is the sum of what I remind His Excellency, Dr. Irfaan Ali, as to the contentiousness between what he said and what he and his people are doing. He is sure to be too busy or to read. But I am just as sure his people and machinery will not this get past without notice. Regarding whether there will be any listening and acting, I remind myself that this is Guyana in all of its beautiful deformities.
Yours faithfully,
GHK Lall
