Dear Editor,
I would first like to thank President Granger for his humanitarian suggestion to invite to Guyana our Caribbean brothers and sisters from Dominica who have suffered from hurricane Maria. I would like to think that he would hold community meetings to hear the views of citizens because they are the ones who would have to host the Dominicans.
More than anyone else, he should be aware that Guyana is facing a socio-economic crisis. The closure of some sugar factories has caused increased unemployment. Employers would soon be forced to send home workers if the economic situation continues. I would like the President to give details to the nation on how he intends to accommodate and employ Dominicans.
The President has spoken about lands that would be made available to Dominicans for agriculture, but does the government have the resources to build the infrastructure in a new environment for these refugees? How much would it cost the government? From where would it find the funds to build roads, houses, schools, hospitals, etc, and supply electricity and water? History has taught us there is a price to charity.
Is the President’s invitation to the Dominicans a way of getting more people to vote for him? I have no problem with that. If I were in his position, I would do the same.
Most of Mr Granger’s ministers are conjuring a dream that oil will bring salvation to Guyana. But this is really a pipe dream. An article posted on AlterNet by Nafeez Ahmed stated that the oil industry is crumbling. He wrote, “It’s not looking good for the global fossil fuel industry. Although the world remains heavily dependent on oil, coal and natural gas ‒ which today supply around 80 per cent of our primary energy needs ‒ the industry is rapidly crumbling.”
In an article published in Clean Tecnica, Paul Gilding wrote that the fossil fuel energy industry is now entering terminal decline. Gilding wrote, “It’s time to make the call – fossil fuels are finished.” Guyana should take a look at the economic crisis that is now bedevilling Trinidad which depends heavily on oil.
All politicians are known to spin hopes and dreams for their constituents. The President should explain how he intends to accommodate Dominicans in the wake of abysmally low oil prices worldwide.
Yours faithfully,
Jai Sears
Grenada
