THERE is a saying that none so blind as those who cannot see. There are so many people in our society who refuse to accept the truth especially if that truth happens to be at variance with their political allegiance.Take for instance the developments in Lethem where I recently visited. There can be no doubt that the community has been transformed over the years particularly since the new PPP/C administration was returned to power in the elections of October 5, 1992. There are now two new banks, a growing industrial and commercial hub due in part to the construction of the Takatu bridge and the upgrading of the Linden-Lethem trail which allowed for much greater volume of traffic between the two neighbouring countries of Guyana and Brazil.

But developments and progress in Lethem is not limited to the changing physical infrastructure, important as these are for the overall development of the region. The growth and development of the banking system is one indication of the health of the economy. It measures the pulse beat of the region’s and by extension the country’s economy. In several of the more developed economies including the United States many banks are closing down which is quite unlike Guyana where banks are opening up in several parts of the country where not existed before.

I recall visiting Lethem some years ago and there were no banks. There was a small IPED building operating out of an abandoned Guyana Stores building. There were just a handful of vehicles on the streets and the majority were Government vehicles or owned by big companies.

All of that is changing as an increasing number of people are the proud owners of their own vehicles and other consumer durables. Once a sleepy village, the community is now becoming a hive of activities.

There is no doubt that things are looking up in Lethem and for that matter the whole of Region. The full potential of the region is still to be fully realised but this cannot happen overnight. There are still a number of challenges to be overcome but with the new emphasis placed on hinterland and Amerindian development, it is only a question of time before Lethem takes its rightful place as a commercial hub of the country and have its status upgraded to that of a city or town.

There are a number of bright spots. Our Amerindian children are doing much better at schools thanks to the several interventions made by the PPP/C administration to upgrade the quality of education delivery in the region.

I recall when the PPP/C took power in 1992 there was only one secondary school in the whole of Region Nine, the St. Ignatious Secondary School. It was only a secondary school in name as the school was only offering four or five subjects at the CXC level. What was more disgraceful was that all of the subjects offered were only at the Basic level which in effect meant that even if the student were to be successful in all of the subjects offered by the school they still would not have satisfied the matriculation standards for admission to the University of Guyana or any other tertiary institution.

This was not only disgraceful but unfortunate as the then PNC regime perpetuated a cycle of mediocrity and educational dysfunction in which skills for development had to be sourced from the city or coastal regions which often conflicts with the cultural mores and norms of the communities.

Today Amerindian communities have several professionals who have been trained as teachers, nurses, doctors and engineers who are making a significant contribution to their regions and to the country as a whole.

Lethem, like so many other hinterland have been greatly transformed by the several policy initiatives of the PPP/C administration. Much more could have been achieved were it not for the obstructionist tactics employed by the Opposition parties to impede progress.

Of course several challenges to hinterland development still remains which resulted mainly from a past history of neglect and underdevelopment both by the colonial administration and which continued with the undemocratic and incompetent PNC regime.

Credit must be given to the PPP/C administration for putting the resources to upgrade the quality of life of hinterland and Amerindians. The Opposition would never give credit where it is due for obvious political reasons and will always try to down play these achievements or attribute them to other unconnected variables. According to their twisted and convoluted logic, progress and development is taking place but it is not the PPP/C administration that is the driving force behind these developments.

These are people who are prejudiced and biased against the PPP and the PPP/C Government that they lacked any sense of objectivity or balance.

I conclude with my opening. None so blind as he who will not see.
HYDAR ALLY