Dear Editor,
I read an article in the Demerara Waves online news published on February 12, 2025, and titled ‘Development of religious leaders on the cards – Ali’. The article quoted the President as follows “We as a government, as a Cabinet, we’re discussing currently ways in which we can support the development of pastors, pandits and imams in our country even if it means that we have to collaborate with the religious leaders and find institutions through which we will support their development, and we’re committed to doing that…” As I read these expressions by His Excellency, my reaction was well…well…! I think that the support should be the other way around, I recommend that religious leaders support President Ali and the government in being honest, eliminating corruption, distributing resources equitably, and respecting the humanity of citizens.
When the President and his government meets with the religious leaders – Pastors, Pandits and Imams, I would like them to ask the President the following: When will His Excellency confirm the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary and the acting Chief Justice? Why have he and his government not confirmed them in their substantive positions after seven years of acting in these positions? Where is the alternative livelihoods programme by the government for those former public servants who his government fired, many without any reason and who are members of the religious community? What safety nets does his government have planned to put in place for those former public servants who were fired by his government? Why did his government not do more to protect the Henry family after the brutal murders of Joel and Isiah Henry? Why did his government employed an extremely inhumane approach to removing the residents of Mocha and if he and his government are aware that this approach was unprecedented in Guyana and was uncivilized and dehumanizing? Why did the government use the inhumane approach to remove people in Parika, Hillfoot, Linden and other areas?
Further, why did his government charge the former Mayor, Pandit Ubraj Narine for defending the vendors in the Georgetown Public Hospital area? Why is the government using the Guyana Police Force and the Director of Public Prosecutions Chambers to criminalize African Guyanese leaders? Why is the government destabilizing African Guyanese communities economically by removing the subvention to IPADA-G, firing a significant number of people and senior professional from the public sector, among others? Yet further, what is the government doing about the corruption pandemic in the country? What is the government doing about the explosion of corruption in the Guyana Police Force? What is the government doing about the corruption in the government? I hope that they ask the President how much money and how much stealing is enough?
On equitable distribution of resources, what is the government’s plan to distribute the resources of Guyana and the oil money in an equitable manner and reduce the ever-growing gap between the rich and the poor? On respecting the humanity of the citizen, ask President Ali and his government when will they stop and understand or at least try to understand the extremely loud cries that the government is governing the country in racist manner? Ask the President if it has occurred to him and his government that the loud and open cries about racism may have some merit and all of those people crying out loud could not be the problem or wrong? I hope that they will let the President, and his government know that they do not have the authority to determine who is a human being and who is not; and that all human beings were born equal.
I am also of the view that the President and his government are using our ‘Building Our Dream Guyana’ Campaign/Movement ideas and framework for a ‘National Economic [and] Social Development Plan’ without giving us any credit. On October 10, 2024 in an article in the Stabroek News titled “‘Building Our Dream Guyana’ campaign/movement has a critical bias towards senior citizens and youths”, I wrote ‘The government [Building Our Dream Guyana Government] will also develop a grant scheme for religious organisations to access funding for elderly care and youth development in their communities’ https://www.stabroeknews.com/2024/10/10/opinion/letters/building-our-dream-guyana-campaign-movement-has-a-critical-bias-towards-senior-citizens-and-youths/
Additionally, on October 3, 2024, in another letter that was published in the Stabroek News and titled ‘Building Our Dream Guyana’ approach to renewing and expanding the middle class and reviving the manufacturing industry in Guyana” in the letter I wrote the following, ‘Our National Economic [and] Social Development Plan will distinguish what middle class in the context of the hinterland and the coastland means, instead of a one size fit all approach. For example, in the case of the hinterland, we intend to invest significantly in building the capacity of Amerindian communities to produce value added products from minerals and precious metals. More specifically, we will build the capacity of Amerindian communities to produce jewelry from gold, etc. The government will also build partnerships between these communities and the large local jewelry establishments, so that they have a ready structured local market. We will also explore foreign markets for the value-added products which will be produced by these communities’ https://www.stabroeknews.com/2024/10/03/opinion/letters/the-building-our-dream-guyana-approach-to-renewing-and-expanding-the-middle-class-and-reviving-the-manufacturing-industry-in-guyana/
Then lo and behold, we saw an article in the Stabroek News on November 15, 2024, and titled ‘Dominic Gaskin to work with President to expand overseas market access for jewellers’. The article stated ‘Former APNU+AFC Minister of Business and veteran jeweller Dominic Gaskin is to work with President Irfaan Ali to roll out a project here that would see local jewellers maximizing opportunities to reach new regional and global markets’ https://www.stabroeknews.com/2024/11/15/news/guyana/dominic-gaskin-to-work-with-president-to-expand-overseas-market-access-for-jewellers/ Now our proposal for a ‘National Economic and Social Development Plan’ is a framework for a 10 to 15 plan for Guyana which should be developed in an inclusive and collaborative manner, including government, opposition and other key stakeholders. We are not good enough for the government to employ us and pay us to implement our own ideas, but they are employing others to implement them.
The President and his government are not systems thinkers. The same religious leaders who the President wants to use for photo opportunities have seen their tithes and offerings in their churches reduced since 2020, contributions and donations were reduced as a result of their members and professionals in these churches being fired, criminalized, ostracized and victimized. They have seen the frustrations of their members, counselled, prayed and supported them and their families throughout this extremely difficult period since 2020. These religious leaders have seen a government that governs from a place of hate instead of a place of love. They have seen marriages come close to divorce or even go over the edge due to financial difficulties in families which were created by this government. I hope that the religious leaders tell the President and government that they cannot continue to govern this country from a place of hate, but it should be governed from a place of love.
Sincerely,
Citizen Audreyanna Thomas