Dear Editor,
Over the past few months I have noticed that the Private Sector Commission has woken from its years of slumber with a strident voice on several issues. These are most notably, the DDL/GRA settlement and now, the opposition to the proposed renaming of the Ogle International Airport, the Eugene F Correia International Airport. I am pleased that the PSC has done this as it represents an important and critical partner in our economy and driver for national development.
However, the PSC has to be very careful lest it open itself to justifiable attacks that it is very self-serving and cares little about its most important partner in Guyana, the Guyanese people.
It also cannot escape attention that several of the members of the PSC have benefited from the largesse of the previous administration with large swathes of prime property below firesale prices, land at Pradoville 2, the acquisition of state properties at below market price etc, while at the same time serving as chairpersons of various state boards. Some may argue that this was a conflict of interest, and may be the reason for the then muted murmurs and silence from Waterloo Street.
President Granger’s announcement that he proposes to name the Ogle Airport after Eugene Correia has been criticized by operators out of the Ogle Airport who asked him to reconsider. The PSC has also issued a press release.
From what is reported President Granger met with some representatives of the National Air Transport Association, and he formed the opinion that their protestation was based on “small-mindedness, driven by petty-minded persons and maliciousness”. President Granger is not an intemperate person with a proclivity to launch scathing attacks against individuals, but a bridge-builder, and we have to therefore conclude that his characterization of those opposed to the renaming in such harsh terms is grounded in reality and not fiction. Juxtaposed against his views is what is being peddled as an inalienable right of the other operators as they are the majority stakeholders at Ogle.
No Sir! The majority stakeholder in the Ogle Airport is the citizens of Guyana, who are the patrons and they are represented by a duly and democratically elected President. Moreover, it is absolutely disrespectful for a leading player in the PSC and also an operator out of Ogle, Captain Gerry Gouveia (Roraima Airways) to condescendingly state that President Granger is not a businessman and doesn’t understand branding. In other words the use of the Correia name would provide an undue advantage.
This is logic based on Captain Gouveia’s fantasy and not business. Like him I am a businessman equipped with academic and professional accomplishments that challenge this irrationality. Market share is based on your individual brand and each market participant carves out their own niche based on their business plan and focus. Is he saying that the Correia name would create a marketing windfall to the Correia group? Show me how? Where is the empirical evidence to support this?
Captain Gouveia is also reported to have stated that the decision to rename the Ogle Airport was solely made by President Granger and makes a mockery of democracy. Where was the good old Captain when the Timehri Airport was being renamed the Cheddi Jagan International Airport?
To suggest that President David Granger is the only person engaged in decision-making is insulting. The little that I know of the President is that he is a listener to people and that he consults, and he would have consulted with his advisors before the pronouncement. To suggest otherwise smacks of pettiness and small-mindedness, and is personal, malicious and very disappointing.
Yours faithfully,
Jerome Khan
