In the old days we had nine helicopters

Dear Editor,

With reference to an article in KN ‘Millions paid twice for some contracting services,’ it was said that sewerage pipes had been rerouted to allow for the construction of the much vaunted Marriot Hotel. Let me add this for general information.

Earlier world renowned Guyanese performer Eddie Grant approached us for the use of an area abutting and including the Luckhoo Swimming Pool – the identical area where the Marriot Hotel is to be built. When news reached higher authorities that the Mayor and City Council had agreed to grant Eddie Grant permission to proceed with a substantial development for the area, the Mayor was cal1ed in and told to put the matter on hold because a much bigger project was on the horizon. Of course we expected some compensation for the land, part of which is municipal property.

I suppose the horizon is in retreat, just like the Cubana Air Disaster monument, which was built and ready to be put in place but was stopped by the powers that be, a sad reminder of the monument to honour the hundreds of Africans who were hanged in what is now the Promenade Gardens after the 1823 rising. It is generally accepted that it is right and proper to honour these martyrs.

Of interest, the PPP in its early verbal outpourings recognized the correctness to honour those whose struggle and sacrifice laid the initial foundation for our freedom and human dignity. The PPP did so by naming their first ideology college at Land of Canaan on the East Bank of Demerara after one of the African heroes of the 1763 revolution, ‘Accabre.’

And so it was on August 1, 2000, at the Emancipation Day Ceremony held at the Parade Ground, (Independence Square), coins were buried and our head of state and government made a solemn promise in public to build a monument in honour of those African Martyrs.

Perhaps that part of our history about those who arrived in ships and laboured for free to build by hand our entire coastal infrastructure is no longer of importance to this administration. In fact, using the near media monopoly, this generation must bear the burden of an assault on our history by the miserable machine. Ten years come August we will hear some platitude by our government applauded by the supporters.

We read with interest on page 7 of Stabroek News, ‘Air Corps needs to be upgraded – former GDF aeronautical engineer.’ It seems as though nobody is interested or that some set of persons really does not care. I recall speaking to members of the GDF privately and in a letter dated April 7, 2008, I referred to the hype being made by ‘big ones’ in government about how much was being spent on the army.

In my letter, I pointed first to the importance of an effective air corps and referred to the government purchase of a used helicopter and joined with those including Captain Gerry Gouveia who said that the recent second-hand purchase by the government was “a waste of taxpayers’ money.” Further, I made reference to a new helicopter with superior features to the used 1988 helicopter we purchased. The letter went on to remind us that in the period before 1992, the army had available the following:

1.two–MI-8 Russian built helicopters each capable of transporting sixteen troops, with powerful lifting and hovering capability; 2. two-Bell-212, each capable of taking twelve persons and faster than the 206; 3. One Bell-412 capable of taking twelve persons, still available in Guyana but needed to be made serviceable – why not this option? 4. two-French built (Aloette) choppers capable of carrying five persons each; and 5. two Bell-206 capable of taking four persons each, similar to what this administration has bought and is beating their chest over.

We had a total of nine choppers in those, we are now told, horrible days.

My letter ended with these words, let the people judge these issues: forward planning, good sense and probity, or what is the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green, JP