Dear Editor,
Ms. Miranda La Rose deserves both recognition and reward for her credible and consistent coverage of the projects associated with Cricket World Cup 2007 in Guyana.
In her latest article last Sunday, “Substantial work still to be completed on Casique,” she made us aware of the image problem the Guyana government is courting if the hotel and related recreational facilities at Providence are not completed on time for Guyana hosting its leg of CWC 2007.
If the accompanying photograph of a building still under construction was taken sometime last week, there is no way this project could be finished in time, unless there is an around-the-clock acceleration of construction activities. And even then, quality checks for foundational soundness and occupancy readiness risk being compromised if there is a rush to ensure it is considered complete just so that government can save face or protect its image.
In the spirit of a national conversation on this hot button issue, let us use this report and assume that this project
will not be finished in time, will President Bharrat Jagdeo be forced to have his government seek out the services of other hoteliers in Georgetown and its environs to fill the gap?
If so, will he also bend and eventually grant casino licences to the other hotels? Or will granting such licences be too late for the hotels to practically work with?
Let us also assume, for conversation purposes, that these cricket-related projects are not finished on time, just how does the government intend going about recouping the monies it advanced to Buddy’s for room accommodation and also the recreational facilities? In fact, will government not be double dipping into the public treasury for monies towards hotel accommodation should it have to pay up front to other private hotels for their service?
It cannot advance monies to Buddy’s and not advance monies to other hotels if they are called on at short notice to fill the gap.
I think cricket should and would be played in Guyana, but I harbour great doubt that these associated projects would be completed as scheduled, barring a miracle of sorts.
And from the look of things right now, it seems like it will take a miracle of sorts to restore the President’s image – as well as that of the nation – and the people’s confidence in his leadership ability if the related projects fail to deliver.
In some other genuine democracies, such a looming blunder for the President, coming hard on the heels of his previous blunders on the Stabroek News ads withdrawal, verbal assaults on Stabroek News for its reportage, the dissing of Mrs. Janet Jagan, the controversial implementation of VAT and the bull rushing of the Casino amendment bill through Parliament, should be grounds for the ruling party’s hierarchy – if it wasn’t already in on all these blunders – to consider scolding or rebuking the President for his arrogance.
Mrs. Jagan, though she was surprisingly dissed by her protege, and the other leaders of the ruling party have to share some responsibility for going along with the decision to have an inexperienced person take charge of a nation at a critical time when proven and experienced leadership was a basic requirement for the office of President of Guyana.
But while I doubt whether the ruling party would ever seek a no-confidence motion vote in Parliament against President Jagdeo, it is obvious that at the rate he is going he is casting himself as an ideal candidate for a no-confidence motion.
His recent lapses have little or nothing to do with his likeability as a person; they have everything to do with his ability as a leader of government. And as a leader of government, he is failing miserably.
Yours faithfully,
Emile Mervin
Editor’s note:
An opening date has been announced for Buddy’s hotel. If the Casique hotel is not ready, alternative arrangements have been made.
