Dear Editor,
PERMIT me space to respond to the devious letter by Dr. Asquith Rose and Sasenarine Singh, regarding the successful outreach in the Rupununi by the coalition government. The two sought to dull the efforts of the government to bring more services to, in my view, the already over-cared-for hinterland communities.

According to reports, several government officials went to the Rupununi to meet with residents from various communities. Based on reports, this is a usual thing for ministers or their agents to continuously engage hinterland communities.

But Dr. Asquith Rose and Sasenarine Singh claimed that the government went to those communities because of the political climate and the possibility of elections. I would like to say that this is far from the truth, for the simple fact that the hinterland communities have always had great attention from this government. I have read so many articles where it seems that this government goes out of its way to serve the hinterland communities to the point where the writers even claimed that, “the people will take their goodies and then deal with them condignly at the ballot box.  It was done before and it shall be done again.”

Why then claim that it is because of the possibility of elections that the government is now going to the hinterland communities? The writers claim that the “PNC/AFC” is using taxpayers’ money for campaigning. When the government budgeted billions for hinterland communities and rolled out numerous projects that some of us on the coast, especially in impoverished communities are still begging for, was it not taxpayers’ money then? Why are the writers so conveniently saying now that it is campaigning and apparently misusing taxpayers’ money? Should these very writers review this government’s budgets and the various aid going to hinterland communities, they would notice that hinterland peoples are some of the most cared for, if not the most cared for in this country.

It is therefore a nasty and divisive act to claim that this government is only now looking after the hinterland communities, when in fact the PPP had done almost nothing to build these people. They have always given handouts to the hinterland and treated them as second-class citizens with the only power being voting power. When the coalition government removed these handouts and sought to have the hinterland become economically viable, and to have them actually earn their space in Guyana’s economy, the PPP claimed that the government did not care for the Amerindians; they did all they could to turn them against the coalition, while insinuating that they should be given handouts and be cared for like children, because they are Guyana’s First Peoples.
I take offence to this letter because for someone who supports this government I can say truly that true supporters of the coalition government are still wanting. It is just upsetting that, that immoral, heartless, sell-out Charandass through his cold vote in Parliament will cause those who have suffered so much under the PPP to wait even longer to get redress, as he has cut short the term of his own government.

Regards
Peter Joseph