Dear Editor,
When Bharrat Jagdeo starts to speak about corruption in a certain aggressive way, the writing is on the wall. It is time for me to find a new line of operation. Construction has its possibilities, especially when I consider the new Jagdeo. Some business could be in the making for me, such as a clean contract award. Permit me to call things the way that they are, fellow citizens: what I know about construction, and I know next to nothing, is still more than Bharrat Jagdeo knows about corruption. My construction starting point would be ahead of his corruption (anti?) starting point. But there he was waxing profusely about corruption in the context of the mystifying $100,000 cash grant. Citizens must be patient to hear how mystifying.
The cash grant will happen, but the PPP Government is taking its time, ensuring that its ducks (and I say its people, that special kind) are all lined up in the proper row. The Ministry of Finance is doing the honours. It is busy working on an “App.” Without insulting the hon. Vice President in the least, may that App not put a dunce cap on the heads of Guyanese. It is the latest teaser, what I call a slow release capsule from the mystic mind of Jagdeo. Announce first, then hang the people in suspense. It’s an App in the making, stupid. A good product takes a good amount of time. A product that virtually eradicates corruption takes much longer. Did I hear goodbye to a $100,000 cash grant for Xmas? Dismiss me. Is that what cash-handicapped Guyanese are now learning? Time will tell; meanwhile Christmas Carols and bells are ringing. After all, it is November and it is time to get in the spirit of the season, Jagdeo’s cash grant or no cash grant. In the event that President Ali is upset that I stole his cash grant thunder and placed it in the hands of the vice president, I hasten to inform that no slur is intended; just my way of calling things as they are.
Now I must inform all Guyanese that that Ministry of Finance App (are the Israelis involved?) has a feature that should give them the jitters. In addition to name and address, the standard police shakedown approach, the blasted thing could pinpoint the location of citizens. With due regard to Dr. Jagdeo: sir, that is taking this corruption caricature a bit too far. Right now, the PPP has its people conducting surveillance on me, who I can identify no matter how they try evading. Now the electronic element is another challenge posed by the Finance Ministry’s App, and an altogether different can of snakes. Who came up with that idea/feature? That is for the public record, since I know. Yeah, Big Brother is alive and well. Didn’t Jagdeo insist at the last PPP Congress that communism and Stalinism are out? So why is that part of the App, a political GPS, if ever there was one, part of this so-called new priority involving corruption? I don’t like it, no sir; now ways must be found to combat it.
Also, when Jagdeo is on form, he is on form. Like Rohan Babulal, the man from Unity is blasting for runs. What is this world coming to, I ask? From this slick App to slicker stuff: overseas-based Guyanese are eligible to collect the $100,000 bonus. Call it an advance Hallmark card for voting the right way when elections day is here. I had written recently that Jet Blue will be busy. So, Guyanese living in Richmond Hill and Jamaica Hills can buy a ticket and collect their cash, which comes close to making it a wash. That is, unless Jagdeo’s GPS (MoF App) can track them on Liberty or Nostrand Avenue. Now that small brother Jagdeo came out with this bright announcement, I am boxing what is left of my brain to figure out how I can collect twice: once as a regular here, another as a resident over there. I have proof of the latter. If anyone thinks I am greedy (or God forbid, corrupt), it is the cost-of-living that pushes people into crime. Some people only, I should remind everyone. Given this overseas eligibility development from the ever considerate vice president, something should be put to bed once and for all.
This $100,000 cash grant is not first and foremost to give struggling Guyanese some urgently needed relief. This cash grant is purely and powerfully for elections purposes primarily. Why then extend the hundred large to overseas-based Guyanese? The way I interpret this is that the PPP Government just gave itself an edge by subsidizing the return plane ticket to Guyanese so that they can turn up in Guyana and vote. A trip to Guyana during elections season would be expense free, so that more of the freeness can follow. What else, since inflation is getting tamed in the US and Guyanese are doing so well that they can still send barrels, remittances, and hampers to their own over here (more on that later). Like I said, Jagdeo is on fire. The problem is that when he is in that state, Guyanese get burned.
Sincerely,
GHK Lall
