Dear Editor,

I NOTE the alacrity with which the Private Sector Commission has called for a Code of Conduct to be subscribed to by all contesting political parties.

This call, it appears, is in the wake of an alleged Statement made by the Chairman of the People’s National Congress, Hon. Volda Lawrence, allegedly calling upon members to protect Ballot Boxes.

Of course, this expressed concern with vitriolic rhetoric from the Public Sector Commission is a ‘photocopy’ of Statements made by the People’s Progressive Party/C attacking Ms. Lawrence. Of course, both groups, like ‘Yam and Sam,’ have chosen to take Ms. Lawrence’s alleged statement out of context, but that’s another matter.

In the political history of our country, the Private Sector Commission must note that it was the PPP that first issued a clarion call to storm Polling Stations, snatch and follow Ballot Boxes. So violent was this PPP initiative that they still celebrate what they refer to as the ‘Ballot Box Martyrs.’

We must not forget.
For brevity, **I say the following, if the Private Sector Commission leadership wishes, as they ought to, secure some level of credibility, they should comment on Statements clearly intended to excite and inflame citizens made by several PPP/C top brass, at Kitty, Corentyne and East Coast Demerara while on the campaign trail.
Not to mention false statements accusing a Coalition Minister and a Senior Afro-Guyanese Official of grabbing large plots of land. Complete falsehood.
I need not go into details.

We should expect the Private Sector Commission with equal zeal make public statements and suggestions on the above, since these are all related to the matter of their great concern, which is Elections 2020. Because of the above factors, we should persuade the PSC to overcome this apparent political myopia and seek balance and therefore, credibility. I have publicly and privately expressed my admiration for a few, I repeat, a few leaders of the Private Sector Commission for their business acumen.

Others, don’t even contribute to sports and cultural organizations run by the poor and lowly. The Private Sector Commission should be both coy and careful so as not to remind us of the generous transactions some of their members benefitted from the largest of the PPP Administration, when they made public statements parallel to those made by the PPP on the same matter. No one need to question the need for a ‘Code of Conduct,’ but what is a far greater importance, is that our women and men in leadership position in the political arena are morally erect and have a sense of decency.

Human history is replete with conventions, code of conduct and agreements that when honoured in the breach, have led to turmoil, wars, and stress. For Elections 2020, we need Leaders with integrity, unwilling to falsify and not to be as the old folks say modern day ‘tricky and trawny.’ I have offered some friends of the Private Sector Commission their availability of my experience and advice, pro-bona, but are they interested?
I end with the words of Samuel Koranteng-Pipim, a Ghanaian Scholar, who came to the attention when the West African Country, Gold Coast, Ghana, was marching bravely to disengage the monster of the Colonial Master. In Guyana today, the remnants of the Colonial Master philosophy seem to be alive and well. Our young people must slay this monster. Pipim said “Those who read are those who lead; But those who write keep the leaders right. For silence is the crime by cowards of every time.”

Regards,
Hamilton Green