Dear Editor,
The PPP believes that they are convincing the public with their unsynchronized information about the Amaila Falls Hydro Project which will make the public think that Guyana’s development is being held to ransom by the opposition thereby enabling them to gain political mileage. They will get a rude awakening sooner or later. All the Ministers who choose to jump on the bandwagon have a different price reduction on the estimated electricity bill when/if the project is completed. The fact remains that they don’t know what the investors will be charging for electricity when the project is completed and they don’t appear to care. I am only dreaming that if we are to get cheaper electricity, that our water bill will be reduced and pressure will increase; the price of certain food items will be reduced as will that of drinks; transportation costs will decrease (one Minister said the fuel price will be reduced) etc, but then again, I am only dreaming like countless other Guyanese.
They fail to realize that when they had the majority, we were forced to accept what they dished out to us because the opposition didn’t have the power to question and object to anything. They all believe that Guyanese have forgotten when VAT was introduced, and to cover their miscalculations they in-formed the public that nothing could be done and we have to accept it. Today, Guyanese are still feeling the burden whilst they are raking in more tax than they expected, but they are not reducing it. Guyanese haven’t forgotten that this government spared no expense in convincing the public that the Berbice Bridge was supposed to make travelling faster and cheaper. Today, because there isn’t an alternative, vehicles and vessels are being held to ransom by investors to pass over the bridge. Guyanese haven’t forgotten the tremendous (at that time, it was the largest) investment for the Skeldon Sugar Factory and the benefit it was supposed to produce.
Today, we are still awaiting results. Guyanese haven’t forgotten the floating wharf, law books scandal, Fip Motilall, NCN scandal, the conservancy breaches that caused flooding because of a contractor’s inferior work on the East Coast. We are seeing the billions being spent on roads that only last a few weeks; drugs and equipment being bought for millions of dollars when some of the same could have been bought elsewhere at a cheaper cost.
Editor, I am urging the opposition not to yield to their demand unless they are fully satisfied that this project will benefit us, the Guyanese, and not the investors alone. If they are serious about the development of Guyana, instead of running around trying to misinform the public, they should come clean. They are not to be trusted; seventeen years since the last local government elections and they are beating around the bush about another being held. That should tell you they are really scared of something. They were threatening to hold a snap election; now is the time. If the results from the last election didn’t convince them about the public’s opinion of them, they could forget the local government election and call a national election. Time for them to face up or shut up. We are tired!
Yours faithfully,
Sahadeo Bates
