Dear Editor,
Mr. Norman Browne, in a letter to the editor of Stabroek News dated December 19 2022, expressed
reasons why he rejects President Irfaan Ali’s call for members of the diaspora to return home and participate in nation building. He sees this call by the President as a ‘public relations stunt’ and alludes that only Guyanese that ‘have no vested interest in human rights struggle or holding government accountable for its deeds’ ought to be interested in such as call.’ He also cites the alleged silencing of free speech and the ‘decades and decades of political oppression; corruption, racism, state violence and mismanagement of our nation’s resources’ as reasons for his opinions.
A reminder need not be given of the repeated attempts at electoral rigging, decades of authoritarian rule, and recent abuse of power and resources to the benefit of supporters of the previous PNC/APNU+AFC administration. Mr. Browne’s political posturing fails to take into account the realities of the work of the Government and its ambitions for Guyana’s future. The Local Content Act carves out niches areas in the servicing of the Oil and Gas industry for Guyanese (defined as both natives and second-generation diaspora); the 20,000 GOAL Scholarship programme and 150,000 Guyana Coders Initiative are projects intended to educate and uplift Guyanese’s abilities irrespective race, region or gender; the LCDS-2030 has allocated 15% of all future revenues earned from the sale of carbon credits to go directly towards Hinterland development; the frugal and transparent management of Oil Revenues through a Natural Resources Fund.
These are but a few of the initiatives that speak to the holistic approach to governance in a manner that is transparent, open to all, and geared toward the development of Guyana as a whole. This rant represents rhetoric that is toxic for the future that this Government wishes, and indeed must build for its people, and is intended for an audience of radical elements that would rather fail than constructively work towards its upliftment.
Sincerely,
Alvin Hamilton
