Dear Editor,
With elections being only one sleep away, Guyanese are guilty of looking backwards to determine their future. And with everything that has happened since gaining independence, they have every right to do so.
Regarding the PPP/C they have been taking their predictable last minute jabs at the opposition. The gruesome inflation rates under the Burnham-led government as well as the extremely low housing investments are well documented by the PPP/C. But how similar will the Granger administration be to the one led the by the “Comrade Leader”? The APNU Manifesto suggests that it won’t, but it would be much more reassuring if he definitively said so. I gather that he is intelligent enough to know that the majority of Indian-Guyanese are hesitant to vote for the APNU because they do not want to re-visit the nightmares of the past. Why hasn’t he clearly stated that this time around if elected they will not stick to traditional PNC methods to gain a respectable number of Indian-Guyanese votes? Burnham’s experiment with socialism was deemed by many as a failure and has been magnified by the PPP/C’s attack ads. Why hasn’t the APNU combated this by stating that Guyana’s past will not determine the future?
Donald Ramotar on the other hand has drawn comparisons to Cheddi Jagan in terms of simplicity and humbleness. But will this translate to similar prosperity if elected? The decision to not participate in the Merundoi Presidental Forum will hang over the heads of voters. Does this mean he cannot compete with the likes of Ramjattan and Granger when debating about policies directly affecting Guyana? Was there an alternative reason?
This dilemma bodes well for the AFC; for they are feverishly conveying that they are a group of honest, hardworking patriots looking to make a revolutionary change. They have made it clear that they are looking to eradicate crime on the streets as well as lowering the VAT which is very appealing to the typical Guyanese voter. The scrutiny that this party has sustained is relatively minuscule compared to the two parties mentioned above. So does this make them the safest bet at a prosperous future for all Guyanese alike? Only time will tell.
Yours faithfully,
Sushil Persaud
