Dear Editor,
On this occasion I must support the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo with his insistence that fuel prices should be reduced and should have been reduced earlier. I note that the government has recently done so. With the tremendously reduced price per barrel of crude oil, we have seen electricity and gasoline prices for consumers around the world decline remarkably. Why are we allowing foreign companies to have a firm grip on the price and to keep the major share of financial benefits from any investment in our country? Why should fuel prices for the consumer remain the same when these companies are paying less for the fuel or facing a widespread surplus? This was an opportunity from the inception that should have been pounced on by the government to give some relief to citizens, give them more purchasing power and concomitantly improve our economy. The negligible reduction in the price of gasoline and kerosene leaves me aghast. I don’t think there is anything in a store, market or elsewhere in Guyana that can be bought with $20, which is the savings in the price of gasoline per gallon. Compare that reduction to that in other countries which averages at least 50% to their citizens.
I was proud to witness the restoration of the D’Urban Park Jubilee Stadium at the Republic Day Flag Raising ceremony. It is a grand venue to host other forthcoming national events as it is in the heart of the city, can hold thousands of people and allow them easy viewing from the roadways. In lieu of the latter thought, many more stands could be erected. An excellent idea is the intention of the government to have the large national flag remain there. I was however disappointed that not much effort or creativity was put into the sequence of events. I am aware that it is intended that all the elaborate features would be invested in the May 26th, 2016 Jubilee celebrations and that this Republic Day celebration would be an exercise in frugality. However, the few patriotic songs that were part of the programme were repeated again and again. It seemed to be a test of the endurance of both the military ‘performers’ and that of the spectators. We have so many fine patriotic songs, poems and artistes. The event seemed to be a display of our military. We did not achieve our Republican status through our military might. I thought that having that status would give us the freedom and impetus to unleash and explore our creativity and ambition. Maybe on upcoming Republic Day celebrations we could incorporate into the programme, visual and literary exhibitions which would identify our achievements, on an annual basis if necessary, since our Republic was achieved in 1970. I take this opportunity to state that it is appalling that our literary scholars, either individually or collectively, have not been able to compile biographies on our major political and other achievers, eg, Walter Rodney, Cheddi Jagan, etc.
It is bewildering and disappointing to think that in spite of support and respect for the offices of my President and his ministers that I have found it impossible to establish any communication with either of them or to elicit a response. I had written to the President via e-mail since June 2015, congratulating him and expressing my support but have not received a reply. I had even let it be known in my letter that I was well recommended. Two of his secretaries assured me that I would have received a response. The respect and courtesy for each other as human beings should be mutual. I think it would add to the dignity and respect of the President’s office and title that a response, even via his secretary, would have been appropriate and commendable. Even President Obama has communicated with persons unknown to him. If the President with his power and range cannot garner the efficiency and courtesy to deal with correspondence that comes to his desk then I am inclined to lack confidence in his ministers or those public servants with less range and power to implement important state projects. Some of our ministers I would have met or attended high school with, but it is still impossible to even have a brief dialogue with them. I have learned to never underestimate people but it seems that my estimations are sometimes too high.
Yours faithfully,
Conrad Barrow
