Dear Editor,
I have been scouting around unsuccessfully for Guyana’s Vice President in mainstream media. For a leader with an impressive record of being everywhere simultaneously, he has perfected this new norm of hiding at crucial intervals. He is a man who has anointed himself as the chief oil sage in this country, who supposedly knows more about oil than all Guyanese combined, but who is missing in action when pressures mount. He, who has neither regard nor use for international experts, save for cooperating ones, fades away like a beaten boxer hiding from the bell, when hard blows fly, and Guyanese clamor for a standing, some clean, convincing defending. The Vice President has no issues with any defending of any kind; but calls for genuine ones are what sends him scurrying for friendly corners. Thus, at hints of storms, he jumps on his broomstick and heads for some outer space media dive and sanctuary.
He says he has all the answers on oil, be it gas-to-shore or Payara or billion-dollar bills from Exxon, among others, but he is smartly keeping the wisdom of his knowledge to himself. Or, before audiences that are sure to fall over themselves in ecstasy, if he were to tell them that there is no more honest a man in this country, than he is on oil, or anything. Whether right or wrong, one thing has become clear about Guy-ana’s Vice President: he is a study in the slippery. He slithers away, or about, or under, as the circumstances require. The taller and thicker the grass offering camouflage, the more at home he is. I still find it a source of amazement that the Vice President employ these childish escape tactics to engage (and be engaged) by even more childish pranksters pretending at some sincerity and professionalism.
Vice Presidents do not comport themselves in these manners; soon, all he will need is the attire to mask what are ostensibly truth sharing exercises. Anybody who falls for that kind of jive talk, should keep on falling and be helped along the way, with a quick kick. Better make that push, before the thought police rear up into action to protect the virtue of the nation, as well as the sacred standing of the Vice President. Some people may think I neither like nor have any use for the Vice President. Nothing could be more insulting to my standards, beliefs, and practices. What I do have is a deep appreciation for the fevered wisdoms of a man bent on bending reality to suit the artistry of his whims and visions, and getting others to bow down in homage. The problem arises when there is the expectation that people like me would do similarly. Like I say, everybody is entitled to mistakes, just not of this bizarre nature.
Sincerely,
GHK Lall
