Dear Editor,
By any measure, Guyana is not a normal functioning democracy. Twenty years ago, the PPP was given a second chance to lead Guyana into prosperity, racial harmony, equality and join the league of developing or first world countries. Simply put, they blew it. The PPP never had a plan while they were in the opposition to govern Guyana in a fair and equitable manner with a just and modern constitution. The distance travelled from a party of devout communists to a party of oligarchs is breathtakingly short.
During the time the PNC was in office, the PPP travelled the world and shouted from every mountaintop to gain the attention of anyone who would listen, about how bad Burnham and his constitution were. It is now 2012 and the PPP has been in office for twenty unbroken years ruling with the same constitution that they rightly vociferously derided. Make no mistake, this is now the PPP’s constitution. It is the same constitution that they have tinkered with but are shamelessly using to bludgeon a hapless nation into submission.
The PPP’s hypocrisy is galling and the only logical conclusion anyone can come to is that it was only interested in ruling Guyana for the sake of ruling Guyana. Guyanese must disabuse themselves of the deification of Jagan as the father of the nation who was interested in a lean and clean corrupt free government. In 1992 when President Jagan returned to office, he set the tone for what obtains today in the form of cronyism and triumphalism when he appointed his driver as a director to one of Guyana’s major corporate boards. How is this different from today where so many square pegs are placed in round holes and are appointed as ministers and leaders of a large proportion of state entities (sometimes in multiple capacities) only because they pledged fealty to the PPP or belong to the majority ethnic group?
Corruption existed under the PNC but there was the appearance of justice being done in the interest of public good. Today corruption is endemic. It is a cancer that has metastasized and affects every facet of life that is most visibly demonstrated by some of those who had meagre means when they became officials but now display ostentatious and unexplained wealth. The PPP in all of its twenty unbroken years in office has never had a high profile prosecution of any official who has committed a felony in relation to state assets. The culprits are suspended with a stern warning to pay back that which was stolen, given second and third chances, as well as promotions. If there is sufficient evidence to suspend, there is usually enough evidence to prosecute.
More than a week has passed since the police summarily killed unarmed demonstrators in Linden and the President has yet to visit the community. The shooting of African unarmed peaceful protestors, albeit with less than lethal ammunition after the November 28 elections was a portend of things to come. No one was held accountable.
President Ramotar who from day one seemed out of his depth and from all appearances lacked the intellectual heft that the job cries out for, was hand-picked by former President Jagdeo. During the lead-up to the elections he vowed to follow the path of the divisive, corrosive and morally challenged President Jagdeo. To the cynic who may see a puppet president, I disagree; Mr Ramotar has kept his word.
Yours faithfully,
Nigel Jason
