Dear Editor,
In the year 2023 the nightmare story of Guyana has gotten worse, and we seem unable to wake up from it. We are lurching from crisis to crisis and the welfare of the ordinary man and woman and working class is being ignored. Every day there is some problem or the other in the management of the state, and these problems are either instigated by the regime or continue to go unresolved through the deliberate action or inaction of the regime. As ordinary citizens strive to make sense of their surroundings, go about their daily business struggling to make ends meet in an oil rich economy, that is putting essential items out of their reach due to escalating high cost of living, the Ali/Jagdeo regime is unconcerned about the sufferings and deprivations of the masses.
This People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has no interest in governing in a manner that would weld the diverse forces together and ensure equitable development of all, irrespective of race, political association, or other diversity, consistent with the constitution and laws of Guyana that we are all equal and equally deserving.
The Opposition must awaken from its slumber given that in the political system they are the government-in-waiting and keep the government in check with or without the support of other stakeholders. It is not lost on me that the regime is refusing to engage and such non-engagement is not only a violation of constitutional obligation as required in Article 13 to forge a political system of “inclusionary democracy,” but we cannot sit back and allow the PPP regime to continue to run wild.
The PPP is carving up Guyana and distributing the nation’s resources to a few as though it is their personal property not that of the state for which they must be held accountable for. The regime is making no pretense of not wanting to be fair and even-handed, and therefore, we, the people in direct response to their unfairness, must have more public clamourings and agitations to ensure our economic, social, cultural and political rights are respected and safeguarded. We are witnessing a regime playing a dangerous political game, intent on fostering deeper divisions and animosities between and among individuals and groups.
There is the apparent acceptance, even among persons society held in esteem, that in order to reap Guyana’s wealth one must be silent in the face of growing injustices and executive lawlessness, lest they lose out. Others are compelled to wear the PPP’s proverbial red, whether in the actual colour to accommodate the PPP’s pretense of inclusion and that all is well, when the political system is dysfunctional, and the masses are bleeding, dying, hungry, starving and homeless. How can we ignore that? All don’t flaunt the red, but they seek to identify sharing the same space, being part of an entourage welcoming a leader who is not complying with the constitution that dictates the relationship with the Opposition and other stakeholders.
They also go cap in hand for handouts, feeding their selfish greed. They fail to recognise and uphold the integrity as expected of them and the stature they hold in society, whether from historical association, birthright or whatever. Many are losing their souls, compromising group values, pride, dignity and the nation’s security just to get the crumbs of the nation’s wealth. There is no regard by these persons for what constitutes universally acceptable right and wrong nor the people’s desire for equity, equality, law and order, others are playing to the gallery of the new lawless, unjust and immoral rules the PPP has set.
Where in the past there were expeditions from afar to find our El Dorado, today when we are exploiting some of our resources, a PPP created buccaneering class has emerged, unconcerned about the masses and even development, only about themselves and the new trickle-down economics. Forbes Burnham and Cheddie Jagan would be disappointed with what Guyana has become. Neither would they recognise their parties because the heirs have disgraced the legacy left them. The PPP is besieged by men and women acting like brigands and drunken soldiers, robbing the citizens and getting high off the state’s wealth they are entrusted to manage on the people’s behalf, and bringing with them a few tag-alongs to benefit, as they and their cohorts flaunt their consumptive spending in our faces.
In the face of the historic exploitation and sale of our resources, which placed one of the poorest countries in the region to now amongst the richest of the world, half the society is living in poverty. The pensioners cannot survive on their income. There is an absence of an appropriate social safety network to cater for the vulnerable and needy. Our healthcare system is inept. The education system continues to lag behind our Latin American and Caribbean counterparts, churning out functional illiterates, and the high functioning amongst us cannot wait for the next plane to get out due to denial of opportunities with appropriate benefits.
In spite of the abundance of resources and high deficiencies in human development there is no national development strategy to address our socio-economic and political problems. This is not by accident. The current leadership of the PPP, all of whom came from very poor background either do not know how to govern or have no interest in governing for all. When will those that create our nightmares be gone? Guyanese must awaken from this PPP nightmare to rid themselves of they that sow seeds of discord; rob us our wealth, peace, security; that violate our children’s rights, cause their deaths, take away their dreams and brutally rape them; that continue to impose starvation wages and salaries on workers and violate their right to collective bargaining; and treat the elderly and other vulnerable groups with disdain.
Sincerely,
Lincoln Lewis
