Dear Editor,
I noted the recent guarded and carefully worded statement by the Leader of the People’s National Congress and Leader of the Opposition on important matters of national interest in particular issues relating to the oil sector. It is a display of maturity, even as it flies in the face of the extreme political and ideological right and left and the rising iconoclast in our society. A sensible Opposition ought not to draw an arrow from its sleeve and with a longbow aim it at a target that can shift even as our arrows and verbal salvos are mid-air. At the risk of being repetitive and tedious, the two important issues facing our country today are how we manage or mismanage our natural resources and our border issue. Enough has been said to demonstrate that our government has lost its way and has failed to make optimum use of the enormous natural resources given to us by the generosity of our Creator.
Just look at some of the headlines – “ Fmr. President Ramotar disappointed new PSA terms do not apply to Exxon’s new – Exxon sports Guyana’s profits on staff parties, social media ads and trips for ex-gov’t officials – Audit Report exposes”, “Former Canadian Manganese Company sitting on 4.2M oz gold estimates in Guyana”, “New audit disallows some Exxon costs for gas project.” Turn the clock back and you will recall the ill-advised agreement by the Coalition with the oil giants and the strongly worded statement by the top brass of the PPP that they will renegotiate. After more than three years, this has not happened and the PPP top tune now is the ‘sanctity of contracts’ but beyond that it is crystal clear that the current administration lacks the ascorbic capacity yet our President runs around the world seeking more investors by (in his own words), sophisticated investors.
But citizens everywhere must break their silence to arrest this debauchery and rape of our natural resources. On the border issue, I am confused, but extremely worried. This is the same government when in the mid-70s, the then Guyana government facilitated hundreds of American citizens to settle and farm in the North-west, Essequibo area. The PPP top brass criticized us. The government then understood how the Monroe Doctrine adumbrated in 1823 would have ensured that if anyone touched a single American in our Essequibo region, that would have allowed the Americans to send in their Marines and use whatever military might was necessary to protect their citizens. There is no such parallel with the apparent enthusiastic welcoming of Venezuelans. Immigrants, refugees, persons fleeing for a better life, we don’t know. Let me make it clear, I believe that every human being ought to be the recipient of our kindness and generosity but we must be careful not to open our door to let in persons who may be agents of an unfriendly neighbour and we lack the capacity to sift the wheat from the chaff.
I remember the exacerbation of a British army officer who was training us as QC Cadets, when we were shown how to fix a rifle and bayonet and shout “Halt, who comes there, friend or foe?” One of my buddies asked the British Officer, what to do, if the person said “friendly foe?” The depth of this government’s folly is that to the best of my knowledge, there has been no structured programme to unite all of Guyana, and I repeat all of Guyana, on these two major issues where we sense a common enemy of imperial domination. The only feasible way forward is for constructive, honest and meaningful dialogue.
Unless the PPP has another Admiral such as the likes of Hon. E.M.G. Wilson, better known as self-styled Admiral Coco Wilson, who as the PPP Minister, deemed himself as Admiral of the fleet of three passenger boats. Or in another instance of bravado, in the height of World War II, a certain Barbadian politician sent a message to His Majesty King George VI, “Your Majesty we are behind you.” The fleet consisted of three schooners that could not travel more than twenty five odd nautical miles in the Atlantic. On a serious note, this generation can ill-afford the propaganda and pomposity on critical issues out of Freedom House and the Office of the President.
Sincerely,
Hamilton Green
Elder
