Last weekend the long-awaited VICE News feature, “Guyana For Sale” was released. The 16-minute production bolstered some people’s suspicions about public officials being involved in corrupt practices, while for others it proved nothing because no tangible evidence was presented. For some it was just wild accusations based on dialogue between VICE News’ undercover reporters and Chinese businessman Mr. Su Zhi Rong.
This is another issue that has divided the country. One can deduce from some people’s responses, their willingness to believe or question the accusations about bribery are based on political affiliation. We have seen ministers of government, religious organisations, and local businessmen support the Vice President. The Chinese embassy said that VICE News had malicious intent to smear Guyana. The US embassy put out a statement saying “The US has long been an advocate for anti-corruption and rule of law in Guyana as well as free press. Consistent with Guyana’s laws accountability is the soundest approach to maintain confidence in government and a level playing field for all investors.”
History tells us that the United States is mainly concerned about their interests. Just like I do not believe that most Guyanese politicians really care about improving the lives of the average Guyanese, I do not believe that any mother country of imperialism truly cares about what happens to the people in a developing country unless it benefits them. Whatever the disagreements are between the US and China, Guyana should not be caught in the middle.
I agree, the Guyanese people need to see more evidence about the allegations that Mr. Su made during the VICE production. Though we saw flashes of documents on Mr. Su’s phone, we could not read or verify them. The lack of such evidence has emboldened many to not only support Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who was alleged to have been involved in illicit dealings, but dismiss everything that evolved from the feature as hogwash. But can it all be considered hogwash when there are such serious allegations? Shouldn’t we, whether we believe the Vice President or VICE News, at least demand that there be an investigation?
Public officials are supposed to be under constant scrutiny. They are managing our country’s resources, making decisions on behalf of us, and their decisions can affect our future in negative or positive ways.
As a Guyanese, who loves my country and would rather live here than anywhere else, it troubles me that there can even be a hint that Guyana is for sale. Mr. Su promised VICE News reporters posing as potential investors that he could get them prime lands to build a hotel and casino. It seems like any foreign investor can enter this country, make the right connections and be given the best of what Guyana has to offer. This, while the average Guyanese must settle for small cash grants, wait years for land and are underpaid, which keeps many in poverty. Some of the struggling might have deluded themselves into thinking that somehow miraculously wealth will manifest in their lives through magic potions like ExxonMobil’s oil. Fantasies are a coping mechanism for many Guyanese.
The way we regard public officials is to our detriment. Instead of us standing in our power, and treating them like our servants, we are docile, afraid to question them, afraid to demand accountability and this results in these human beings believing that they can do no wrong, flashing clean hands even when they are sullied and are therefore allowed to get away with whatever corruption they may engage in.
It has been said that Mr. Su took advantage of his friendship with the Vice President. However, we must ask ourselves what did the Vice President mean when he said that Mr. Su gets the support he wants and he, Bharrat Jagdeo, assists from the government side? Why would Mr. Su be comfortable enough to discuss business with the Vice President in his house? Is this normal practice?
If Mr. Su is this person of ill repute, how was he able to get so close to the Vice President? How were they able to build such a close relationship that Mr. Su could take a stranger into the Vice President’s house and begin to discuss business?
If everything Mr. Su said in the VICE News production are lies, I must wonder if Mr. Su is a creative like myself; a griot who simply used his imagination to tell these great tales about how Guyana is for sale through bribery. Or perhaps, Mr. Su is of unsound mind. And if this is so, we should be even more concerned that he was able to build such a close relationship with the Vice President, has facilitated agreements and was not found out to be such a dishonest storyteller until the VICE News production was released. I would also have to conclude that the general manager of the Chinese largest state-owned construction firm who was also featured in the VICE report was also lying about bribes. But if Mr. Su, the general manager, and others are just making wild accusations out of thin air, how does it benefit them?
As a people, I wish the majority would escape the mental enslavement that has taught us that we must wholeheartedly stand by the politicians we support, without ever criticizing their actions or demanding that they be investigated at least when there are serious allegations against them. I can understand those who benefit from politicians would have no courage to question them for fear of what they might lose, but for the average Guyanese who puts on capes for politicians like they are supermen or women to the rescue, would these politicians do the same for you? Can the average Guyanese say that their lives are the best it can be? Based on our natural resources alone, no Guyanese should be poor and struggling. So why have these caring politicians not resolved the poverty issues 56 years after Independence? We have seen their wealth increase, but why is life for the average Guyanese still a struggle?
How are we coping with the rising cost of living? How are we coping with the fact that the average Guyanese has not seen a dime from oil wealth? Foreign investors are coming into our country and increasing their wealth while minimum wage in the private sector is to be raised to $60000 and in the public sector it is $70000. Show me a politician that can live off 60 or 70 thousand dollars a month.
One thing that was significant during the Vice President’s interview with VICE News journalist Isobel Yeung was his response to her question about him knowing Mr. Su. The fact that he was surprised that Mr. Su’s name was mentioned, the slight stutter and the look of bewilderment was telling that Mr. Su and Mr. Jagdeo’s relationship was not just ordinary.
We wait to see if Vice President Jagdeo will follow through with his threats to sue Mr. Su. And as for Mr. Su, will we hear from him again?
