Pity, sad that I’ll never live to SEE…
Way in the days of yore – my bygone past – former PNC Minister Annette Ferguson is the type of lady – physically – I just loved. In fact and truth the current Honourable Member of Parliament, in ‘’looks” and stature, reminds me of my legal wife now very matured living with our daughters in New York, NY, USA.
Compounding my secret admiration was/is the fact that M.P. Ferguson built and moved into a very big residence just opposite to my recent deceased “spar” Lennox, in Eccles. Of course Vice President Jagdeo recently got himself into a judicial spot of bother for alleging certain naughty things about the former feisty minister.
Against that personalised background above then, I refer to Monday’s (SN 30 Aug) letter penned by Ms Ferguson. Besides her main argument, one sentence grabbled my attention, my fancy. The thrust of Ferguson’s missive was to claim that the Brigadier’s administration’s Housing policy and programme was well thought out and ultimately, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The component, she is adamant, the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme, was merely inherited by the PPP folks from the Granger dudes. And is not any new “initiative” conceived by the current PPP “installed” regime!
In another print medium the very next day – this past Tuesday – a seemingly perturbed PPP-friendly “Thomas Cole” dutifully rebuked Ferguson over her alleged “puerile attempt” for trying to undermine and take credit for the PPP’s current robust country-wide housing thrust. The PPP-friendly Cole also tried to dismantle specific claims in the Ferguson piece. But two things struck me about the letter from the Brigadier-loyalist Ferguson.
One, I actually appreciate her explanation and defence regarding her government’s housing programme, which she claimed was “marred with massive fraud and corruption” under the PPP which nearly caused an IDB alleged pull-out then.
Two, Ferguson wrote, perhaps cleverly, that “I have absolutely no difficulty in the regime forging ahead with projects/programmes they have inherited from the coalition government…”
I won’t spend more time and space on this issue but Ferguson’s latter point above should provide some positive appreciation for all citizens who transcend partisan politics where the common good is vital. New governments should have no problem to continue worthy projects inherited from predecessors.
(Without putting their own names on the boats, ‘buses and bicycles, there is nothing wrong with this government continuing the Brigadier’s breakfast-books-bicycles-boats–and–buses programme for children. Besides the grants! And don’t let D’urban Park go to waste. Taxpayers funded it. Develop and/or privatise!)
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Flood relief for farmers – and friends?
Two of my favourite PPP ministers – Ashni Singh and Zulfikar Mustapha were involved in operationalising the government’s massive flood grant-relief distribution occasioned by the devastation caused by massive country-wide flooding recently.
Taxpayers were assured by Singh and Mustapha that data painstakingly compiled by the Agriculture Ministry determined which affected farmers would get what.
The country’s funding is providing a staggering $7.8 billion to those affected! From Kwakwani to Black Bush to Pomeroon. But this I say now: There are credible allegations of fraudulent distribution of millions to comrades and friends who had not even kitchen gardens! Communities in Berbice are small. The big farms are also known. I’m confident that PPP ministers Singh and Mustapha can now investigate and audit! All was not well.
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Americans’ dogged right to know
In the early eighties, American–trained–and– qualified Christopher “Kit” Nascimento liked to explain the USA’s “Open Information Society” to the late Harry Harewood and me.
I later acquired a copy of a Freedom of Information Act American Democracy would seemingly die for. Any American citizen, by law could demand to know anything from their government, except matters of classified defence and security significance.
I was, frankly speaking, amazed to hear the relentless questioning of high–profile officials before, during and after Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Journalists wanted every detail about every aspect of military operations, besides the diplomatic and political implications. Generals were openly publicly questioned about tactics, future airlifts and about reasons for every decision during withdrawal and evacuation. (“Are refugee Afghan children in the US getting the right meals?”).
American democracy at work? Do many other nations accommodate such revelations at sensitive times? Discuss…
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I might not ever experience…
Even if I live another decade, to get to 87, will I ever see: Georgetown clean with sidewalks and pavements free of vendors? A city government professional enough to manage markets and money– making parking machines?
A civilised Le Repentir cemetery? Bright street lights partly maintained by village authorities? Expanded food/drug monitors and bureau of standards? Schools with sports facilities as in Jamaica? Appropriately–trained and–paid young policemen who speak and assist with class? Larger comfortable, buses as in other civilised nearby societies?
Just the above for this edition. Wish me long long life!
Serious, lighthearted: ponder…
● 1) Assist me with exposing schemes which governing parties and administrations utilise to profit from taxpayers’ contributions.
● 2) For example, what indirect means could a partisan pro-party group profit from oil and gas?
● 3) Opposition descriptions of the government: “installed gov’t”, “Racist, discriminatory”, “Authoritarian dictatorship”, “Fraudulent imposition”, “illegal” Wow!
● 4) At the Court of Appeal it was reported that a convicted murderer was not in the right “frame of mind”, at the time he committed murder. Okay…
● 5) My teacher-batchmate Keith Scott says his party, the National Front Alliance – a powerful entity – is still with the Brigadier’s Coalition
● 6) More farewells to persons I knew well: Artist/Photographer/ G.M. Angold Thompson and former “trooper” Magistrate Sullivan – two accomplished but humble, helpful souls
`Til next week!
