Dear Editor

SINCE 2015, with the defeat of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government, and the party assuming the constitutional status of Parliamentary opposition party, Guyanese have been fed with what can only be described as a daily diet of the fundamental lessons from the pot of the classical mould of opposition party politics: The politics of NO.

Editor, I cannot recall one instance of this current opposition leader, Bharrat Jagdeo ever submitting or offering a contribution to the many urgent matters that have been engaging the Coalition government since it took office, beginning with the GuySuCo crisis, wholly created by the PPP/C’s selfish political agenda and criminal mismanagement, which presented the nation’s biggest socio-economic challenge because of the thousands of workers whose tenure became affected by an institution that declared itself broke.

Despite the many calls from the Granger Administration for a collaborative effort towards a solution, all that has ever been received from opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo were a daily deluge of lies and crooked excuses, behind which he sought to absolve himself and his former government colleagues from responsibility for the debacle of the sugar industry.

As was only to be expected, he resorted to the dangerous race card by which he had hoped to whip up ethnic fear among the workers, because of their economic vulnerability.

What he and his dishonest cabal of party leaders had hoped to see materialise, civil unrest, did not. Instead, the government not only devised a plan to salvage the workable sections of this once mighty industry and contributor to the national coffers, but also developed socio-economic survival plans for the many terminated workers who are now in the process of re-building post-sugar lives through many initiatives created by the administration.

This particular challenge, which tested the nation’s ability and resolve, exposed the abysmal mindset of an opposition party leader and cohorts as they sank to what can only be described as the lowest depths of political immorality ever seen in this country.
We must now come to the discovery of oil and gas, the seminal economic discovery in the history of this nation, which will change the development path of Guyana, and socio-economic lives of all its citizens, and for which the preparatory groundwork in the form of legislation, regulatory bodies, and relevant infrastructure are being prepared for first oil in 2020.

One would have thought that given the opposition leader’s constitutional role, and its many functions, which includes participating in a responsible manner in national discussions and offering workable suggestions on matters that affect the national interest, that there would have been proper and meaningful contributions on the many issues that have to go towards the establishing of a national oil industry.

But as usual, it has been the vintage posturing of seeking to score cheap political points at weekly press conferences on a matter which has groundbreaking consequences for all Guyana. In fact, he is part of a phalanx of so-called experts, and commentators of all shades, whose aim is to embarrass the government.

The Kaieteur News of August 18, 2018 story captioned, “SWF mechanisms not strong enough to prevent government raiding oil revenues – 0pposition leader”, is another page in this on-going crusade against the government. This is a comment, from a statement relative to the Green Paper on the National Resources Fund, now before the House.

Editor, as should be known, a Green Paper is a document with proposals which are slated for public discussions among the political principals; civil society, and other interested parties and citizens, usually on a matter of national import. It is not one that is for legislative action at this stage. In fact the latter, though the intended final destination, usually occurs when all the suggestions/counter proposals are made, and taken into consideration, before a definitive position in the form of a White Paper is taken for final debate. The way would then be cleared for legislation.

Therefore, for the Leader of the Opposition to openly make such a statement, is tantamount to leveling corrupt accusations against the government. This is another of Jagdeo’s willful distortions, this time on an official position taken by the government, which is quite legitimate and normal. Should we be surprised? No.

We all know, that has been his line of political attack from the inception of this government; and it puts on show a sorrowful immaturity of a leader who is still in mourning for not only his party’s defeat in 2015, but also for his  defeated third term bid.
It reflects a moral decrepit in terms of the calibre of leadership of such an important constitutional office.

This is a time when all hands ought to be on deck, for guidance towards an oil and gas industry. Instead, it is about a daily pottage of sick, sorry, and grudging positions that are filled with no good intent for a nation in which ought to be joyful and ready for the blessings to come.  This is not what a proper and fit leader of the opposition is all about.

Again, Bharat Jagdeo should be the last person in this particular country to talk about “raiding” any kind of financial fund; for he and his government’s record on such a matter, are as unenviable as the criminal record that they have established, where criminal theft of state resources were the hallmark of their stewardship of Guyana.

Regards
Earl Hamilton