Dear Editor,
After two years in government, it is clear that the PPP cannot govern Guyana singlehandedly, and should have long invited members of civil society into an inclusive government. The party and government have not the political will to stand up against ExxonMobil and other consortiums and in defense of Guyana’s sovereignty. Proving to be the most expensive post-colonial government, the PPP lavishly spent more than GYD$1.3 Trillion allocated in three mammoth size budgets. Yet absolutely no improvement in the life of the nation.
Workers need wage increases to cope with the astronomical cost of living, pensioners are desperately in need of some significant increase in old age pension, and other benefits in the form of food vouchers. Over 1,000 have died of Covid19 because of underlying health problems. Our health services are unreliable and if you don’t have the money to pay the exorbitant costs of private hospitals, most people are given no choice but to stay at home and languish until they die. This is one of the reasons why Guyanese living overseas will not return to Guyana, our health services irrespective of the billions budgeted has never improved.
Billions of dollars from the NRF given out for flood relief pocketed by their supporters. Most farmers and others affected by the flood waters never received any flood relief. East and West Ruimveldt residents were not even visited to see the extensive damage done to homes, kitchens, gardens, and livestock. The PPP has proven that it cannot rise above race partisan party politics which has impacted negatively in the granting of its Cultural and Business Award. The Guyana United Artists was discriminated against on account that it is of grassroots origin and most of its sculptors are of African descent, a few are of mixed races. Guyanese sculpture was renowned the world over, but after the PPP came to government in 1992 it received no support and fell into decline.
The new ploy by the PPP to provide 10,000 part-time jobs is another of its corrupt financial scams from which party officials are already placed to benefit. There is ample proof that the PPP in its term in government intends to drain Guyana of its oil/gas wealth. Will the ABC+EU countries that had threatened to impose sanctions on the APNU+AFC Coalition in its attempt to derail Guyana’s Democracy deal equally with the PPP for derailing our democracy and returning Guyana back to its old authoritarian ways? It is not to say that these countries are oblivious of the reality that Guyana’s electoral system is flawed, a concomitant part of the fraudulent 1980 Constitution and that its insistent on Constitutional Reform has gone nowhere since the PPP has retaken government on August 2nd, 2020.
But what good will Constitutional reform be when the PPP does not respect or recognize those fundamental rights of the Guyanese Nation already enshrined within the Guyana Constitution? Let’s be honest, the PPP expects Guyana to obey those articles that consolidate its authoritarian rule and will resort to the use of the repressive state apparatus if challenged. The ABC+EU which placed the PPP in government has a responsibility to the Guyanese nation. Guyanese of all walks of life have been demanding the renegotiation of the oil contract with ExxonMobil for a better deal that Guyana and all Guyanese can benefit from, for insurance and environmental protection. How can the PPP, which caused the Guyanese Nation to suffer for 19 months, be so unpatriotic…?
Sincerely,
Desmond Alli
General Secretary
Guyana United Artists (GUA)
