Dear Editor,
Guyana is on the abyss of two huge, maybe existential, crises; one man made, one made by nature. Both are soluble by human action. I called a couple weeks back for ‘decent black people’ -intellectuals and the bourgeois – to step forward. At least one did. Now is the time for ‘decent’ people of all colours – in and out of Guyana to re-discover their moral compasses.
The two massive challenges
a. Coronavirus. That could possibly kill hundreds in Guyana. Time for a truly national action committee not the sectional one currently headed by caretaker Prime Minister Nagamootoo. All parties, all interests represented. By the by, please stop calling it ‘Novel Covid-19 virus’ Nobody else does. Action on Coronavirus is urgent.
b. Political Chaos. This is man (and woman) made and needs immediate and simple actions by President Granger and Former President Jagdeo.
i. Start the vote recount immediately. No recount, no legitimacy of any government.
ii. Accept the result. The winner should not take it OIL.
iii. Call in Former President Jagdeo to form a government of national emergency.
c. On the side of the current opposition
i. The leader has to act the statesman and be conciliatory. The prize is national unity and the future of the country. Nothing is gained from futile gestures.
ii. The Presidential candidate has to come out of the shadows. Silence is not golden.
Morality and goodwill on all sides will see Guyana reach its ‘Oil Dorado’ once the world price returns to reality.
Yours faithfully,
John ‘Bill Cotton/Reform’ Mair
