Dear Editor,
Bill is back at the Marriott. Not staying there. You need a bank loan for that. Just visiting and observing. Numbers are going down now the big boys are out of town. But Irfaan is ever present. Here, there and everywhere, never missing a photo op, shaking hands and having plenty tete a tetes in private rooms away from the madding crowd. Good to see Francis back in the saddle as his Head of Protocol. Such a polite man and just who are those men with funny lapel badges?
For the average delegate-$500 minimum a pop – life is simpler. The main hall and endless speakers, endlessly over running, tied down to their unreadable Powerpoint. Try watching that from the back of the room. One point per slide. Maximum. Bill just loved the Harvard prof. with his recipe for the future of Guyana. Shame he could not pronounce it right. The clearest, as so often, was VP Jagdeo. No slides just straight thinking and straight talking. A power in the land? Bill does his best to concentrate but autism kicks in too often. He is off to the land of the nod in a trice. He finally gave up on Wednesday afternoon with the schedule running two hours behind and nine speakers still to mount the platform. At Labour Party conferences they simply switch off the mikes when time is up. Is this a plan, Alex?
Pity though the 150 companies who have paid megadosh to have a ‘boot’ (as the Guyanese say). Those in the main drag are doing ok if a bit crowded. Those away in secret, unlabelled, tents not so well. Advertising and signage always works. I hope they get a partial refund. The beer tents are doing great business though it is intriguing to see how they reflect the ethnic divides of Guyana. Not doing so well, the Duty Free zone in the Umana Yana. When Bill visited you could hear a pin drop. Like a morgue. As he approached each stand the ‘boot’ holders stood up expectantly. Only to be disappointed. Advertising and signage once more at fault. Very sad for some Guyana household names and plenty people travelled far to sell their wares. Total refund time?
The conference is like an ants or bees nest. Lots of people buzzing around some with purpose. But wherever the two king bees are is where you will find the most buzzing. Signs are that soon the bees from abroad will soon be on big planes home. Some happy, some not. Ah well. Pip!Pip! (as they used to say)
Sincerely,
John’Bill Cotton/Reform’ Mair
