Dear Editor,
As we approach the cricket world cup, mash, and other festivities here in Guyana, the citizens are told what a wonderful future we all have under a government dedicated to a stimulated economy, great new investments and a long litany of promises , starting with Dr. Frank Anthony’s sporting dictats to Mr. Robert Persaud’s agricultural illusions; these two ministers in particular are prime examples of what has gone wrong in Guyana in our governmental institutions. It is obvious to any observer of political events here in Guyana that these two men are vying for the Presidency come the next general elections insofar as they can get their names and faces into the press under any circumstance which presents itself.
Almost every other day, we are informed of the initiatives of Dr.Anthony in promising this and that for Guyanese sports when he knows full well that cricket, football, boxing and all the other sporting activities are all strapped for money ; money which the government will never shell out to really invigorate our sporting community. If one really looks at all the duty free concessions this government gives to many who don’t deserve it ($25 Billion last year); at all that lotto money; at all the cars and trucks and SUVs which incurred high duties- then why is it that Frank Anthony can’t be truthful and just and demand of his government to come up with the money to support our kids . No! -because in reality the good doctor is really a spin doctor dedicated to spinning the illusion of a great sports future when in fact he really is primarily concerned with his future as a potential candidate for president of this country.
Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about in bringing up motor sports at the circuit where these politicians show up ; motor racing at the Dakota circuit is potentially a great sporting attraction for many people both here and abroad but the track itself needs to be re-surfaced to encourage and expand the sport itself.
Please Dr Anthony, fight for the re-surfaced track now or resign if you can’t succeed because we need it desperately-please put your ambitions aside and do something concrete for the people; start somewhere with something solid so we , the people, can later evaluate your ambitions. Please, Dr.Anthony, stop painting illusions and give us that re-surfaced track so we can start to believe in the swimming pools ; the cricket academy; the boxing and football initiatives-all for our dear kids. Please, Dr. Anthony, ,lend us an ear instead of giving us all the “old time “propaganda and news-catching illusions by keeping our kids in mind always now that you are the minister; do something real – fight for the money!
Almost every day we see Mr.Robert Persaud in our press promising this and that to the farmers and the hard working people in the sugar industry with illusions of a great future while in fact, his Presidental aspirations are obvious to any keen observer. The question to Mr. Persaud is” where is the beef”? After his stint in the government’s propaganda service this gentleman graduated with high honours as a spin doctor (replaced by another serious spin doctor, Prem Misir- a spin doctor by the way is a politican who is expert at twisting the facts and statistics to present a great prognosis) and we can see how he uses this spin-doctoring to propagate his ambitions while doing nothing for agriculture in this country. Please, Mr. Persaud, stop painting illusions and show us how we can get our people back on the land to produce plenty food for export, especially to our Caribbean neighbours; by the way, the essence of co-operative farming is by far the best way forward. Please, Mr. Persaud, let us know when we can expect big foreign or local agri-investments to create new visions outside the traditional sugar and rice scenarios instead of empty promises about the sugar factory at Skeldon. Please, Mr. Persaud , show us how we can re-vitalize the cattle industry in the Rupununi when for the last years under your failed predecessors, nothing for the ranchers was done by this government. Please, Mr.Persaud, stop campaigning for the Presidency and really help our farmers and our country, do something for Black Bush in Berbice as the farmers are crying out for years and your government did basically nothing!
Yes, dear Editor, I hope that with your paper as a conduit, these two gentlemen can listen to my comments and find a way of putting their personal ambitions aside and really serve the people of this country. Sir, I hope so but you know what, I doubt it, because it seems that after President Cheddi’s death , the PPP has reached a level where personal ambitions supersede the need to serve the nation ; illusions supersede the people’s desperate reality; arrogance supersedes humility and care for the people’s needs, and lastly, where state authority supersedes the people’s driving desires for a change from that governmental domination of our economic life.
Yours faithfully,
Cheddi (Joey) Jagan (Jr.)
