Dear Editor,
This Government has embarked upon the spending spree that constitutes a woeful waste of money in circumstances where democratic norms are ignored. They boast of building roads, schools, hospitals, bridges, dams etc. knowing fully well they lack the capacity to monitor these works – the results, poor quality work. And there is not a single instance of any construction undertaken since August 2020 that has been satisfactorily completed on time. I challenge the appropriate ministries and ministers to give one, only one example that satisfies this criteria of satisfactory work being completed on time within the tendered price awarded. Note for example, the Bamia School contract is yet to be completed, in spite of earlier completion dates announced earlier.
In all this, we hear our top brass talking about transparency, using gleefully that chameleon word, democracy, even as the Government continues to miniaturise Georgetown, Linden and New Amster-dam, where they do not command a political majority. Using massive funds available to emasculate those local authorities to do things which are the responsibility of the local authorities. Three cheers for democracy. Facing us today is a replay with the Minister of Local Government controlling who is employed in the absence of the Local Government Commission. The Commission expired this year, and it seems there is no anxiety by the Government to have it reconstituted – which ought to be a standard operational procedure.
It is unnecessary to burden this letter with the rape of our democracy taking place before our very eyes on a daily basis. You have the gas-to-shore project clouded in secrecy. You have a tender for additional electricity for the grid, forgetting that earlier this year, the powers that be boasted that with the Turkish Ship and acquisition of several generators, cost unknown to the public, black-outs would end. Today, while preparing this letter, there was a black-out at about 2:45 pm in my area followed by two outages yesterday. Speaking to a friend on the East Bank of Demerara, he said that this has been a pattern since this Turkish Ship et al began operation. Yet another secret transaction.
We pleaded before that our democracy, as defined by the Government, for reasons which are not obscure, failed with a few exceptions to put in place patriots to manage the various sectors. They took persons who may be excellent cane cutters or excellent policemen and because of their loyalty, and placed them in higher positions where they became a dismal failure. With this fastest growing economy in the world, Editor, I ask you and all believers to pray and pray unceasingly, so that the benefits from the billions and billions we now harvest in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana will benefit this and succeeding generations.
Sincerely,
Hamilton Green
Elder
