IT is heartening to know that former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo is one of the big names scheduled to speak at the World Conservation Congress. It is an international forum that takes place every four years where governments and NGOs debate and vote on major issues challenging mankind today. Important issues such as climate change, poverty, green growth and food security, will be discussed and important decisions taken all for the development and wellbeing of a growing world population.

In essence it is the largest and most influential event in the global community vis-a-viz the global calendar. This is not the first time this man has come in for honourable mention. He has been a central figure on the world stage, duly designated Champion of the Earth by the United Nations which is a good thing for such a small country as ours; certainly a great accolade that has made Guyana proud.

It was only a few days ago also that another son of the soil Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh was appointed co-chairman of an international financial organisation, as recognition for his contribution in macroeconomics. I am talking about two men, not one man of renown, men of substance, men of greatness, who when they speak, the world is forced to stop and listen.

Ironically, attempts are being made to sully the names of these two illustrious greats here in small, insignificant Guyana. The recent happenings in the House  are a testimony to the fact that a determined plan is afoot to drag these men down and with them a country that they have fought so hard to build.
In Dr Singh’s case, his fiscal prudence here has afforded us fiscal reserves that we never could have envisioned. In addition, we have continuous growth year after year. To have done this in an economy that was once lower than Haiti’s is nothing short of phenomenal. It is for these notable achievements that these gentlemen have come up for international laudatory mention. As Third World Developers, these men have influenced the world stage in quite a significant way and in whose circle their advice is worthy of emulation. The opposition has been taking notes, hence their back-pedalling on that notion that the finance minister and government are thieves and on their latest tirade squanderers of the nation’s monies. They’ve recognised that their dumbfounded claims would not stick, hence, their nationwide trek trying hard to convince themselves that the huge cuts that they have made to the government’s spending was not a bad thing after all. But this is quite an uphill terrain APNU and its leashed comrades in the AFC have to traverse, that is, convincing a people who will suffer due to their reckless actions. There is a great shouting match going on in the opposition right now, but is anyone listening?