– by engaging in pointless public arguments

Dear Editor,

IT’S amazing to see what the layman would consider two government entities which should be working in the interest of the people undertaking government functions engage in a public argument. What, if anything, this situation goes far beyond the temperament of two factions “fighting for the same good” supposedly.

Firstly, GuySuCo will be economically viable, and that is the President’s commitment, though this will still have some welfare costs that the country must shoulder. This commitment is vehemently pursued by Mr. Heath-London, who clearly has the interest of the beneficiaries at heart. Why else would he be so concerned with the manner in which GuySuCo spends monies disbursed by NICIL and which NICIL obtained from a $30B syndicated bond? Why else would he seek out the assistance of PricewaterhouseCoopers, who have investors waiting to advance the economic agenda of GuySuCo subject to information emanating from Guysuco?

NICIL, under Mr. Heath-London, has recognised the opportunities of business and expediency to bring relief to the small man wherever it can. For example, in Linden, house lots for land that laid there for years have finally be given out under his tenure. The Watooka Guest House is under restoration to the benefit of all Guyanese, including all government officials (incumbent and Opposition), and at the highest standards, so much so that the current US Ambassador to Guyana visited and even recognised Linden’s potential as a heritage town for tourism. This suggestion has brought to the fore the need to have Ms. Benjamin-Fauconier relocate the factory she intends to construct to another location in Linden. In fact, the news would make it seem as though NICIL is putting her and Linden out of opportunities, when in fact Mr. Heath-London is trying to optimise by accommodating her at another location and advancing the heritage town concept for tourism. Kwakwani residents, who for years had no economic empowerment, are now, for the first time, getting the land- ownership documents they craved, so they can use them in the banking system for economic leverage. It is also important to note that all these initiatives languished under the former head, Mr. James, and only recently got traction.

We can go on to mention that Mr. Heath-London has made accessible senior staff compounds to all, such as the Skeldon Heritage Resort that community residents now enjoy. Not to mention the use of this facility for conferences, and other facilities that were never before available in this area. There is now, too, the Berbice Inn in New Amsterdam, and the Rose Hall Guest House, never before accessible by the ordinary man in Guyana unless authorised or sheltered by ‘a big one’. NICIL has been effective, to the extent that the PPP is unhappy that some needs of the Coomaka residents have been met by NICIL. What is wrong with these biases that seem to be getting so personal and unprofessional that it looks beyond the substance of what is being done and fought for; that ignores the gains made and the evidence of stakeholders’ benefits. From the information circulating, one would quickly rush to assume that Mr. Heath-London has not done anything that is commendable and in the interest of the Guyanese people, when in truth this is far from fact. Please let’s not lose corn and husk.

Regards,
George Williams