CHRIS Brown’s coming to Guyana has been greeted with much enthusiasm in some quarters, chief of which is the government, but castigated in others such as Red Thread and some women’s groups.

This international entertainer is coming to Guyana because the tourism minister says his ministry is promoting the grand idea of boosting Guyana’s tourism product, whatever that is. The fact of the matter is Guyana has no tourism product, but the minister is trying desperately to compete at a level like his Caribbean counterparts to lure tourists here, something that is not going to happen.
Guyana first has to get a product before experimenting with the entertainer type. Bringing an entertainer like Chris Brown is a colossal mistake, because he is going to take more than he can give back to this country. The sight-seeing trips, not forgetting the gifts (gold is bound to be one of them), all expenses that would have to be borne by the struggling taxpayer would be the result of his coming.
Guyana can ill afford this at this time of our existence. Our Caribbean neighbours can attest to this fact. However, they can persist with this annual venture due to the fact that they are at a higher level, or what I would call a different tier in the tourism product. Guyana is nowhere close to the first tier, far less to persist with this at a tertiary level. What the minister, who thinks he knows about tourism, needs to embark on is the development of the primary product that would make tourists want to come to Guyana. This is a gold mine area for Guyana, which the minister was furnished with and has at his disposal, but to date is turning a blind eye to. I hope when he reads this letter he would see the light and work towards the development of a billion-dollar industry in a sustainable way.
But I digressed. My main message is to expose the gross hypocrisy of people and its government. The controversy which surrounds the Chris Brown visit stems from the domestic abuse of his girlfriend Rihanna. Brown was given community service, which is a punishment of sorts due to the fact that the said girlfriend had forgiven him, something women do in the name of love, so the American authorities had no choice but to grant him a reprieve in the light of her forgiving him. But here you have a man who had no real punishment for such a horrible crime, yet he would be welcomed into Guyana without much ado.
On the other hand, Dr. Vishwamintra Persaud, a Guyanese, made a similar mistake there in the United States and was duly punished for his crimes. He has since relocated to Guyana to make a contribution to society, but was debarred from doing so right here in the country of his birth. Dr. Persaud, because of political and other foolishness, was denied the right to practise in the land of his birth. If this is not hypocrisy at its highest then tell me what is. Here we have a man who did the crime and has done the time, but cannot be pardoned and given a second chance in his homeland; yet an American who did practically no time can walk into Guyana and take more than he can give.
If Chris Brown can perform in Guyana then Dr. Vishwamintra Persaud should be granted a licence to practise. The injustice is so great, to think that the good doctor did not commit a crime in Guyana but was punished, again, under what I would call an anticipation of a crime. If this is not madness then what is? Show me someone who has not done wrong in his or her whole life and I will call you a blatant liar. Even those who are casting an accusing finger are among the lot that have committed dubious crimes for which they were not punished, but can now act as puritans and saints in the doctor’s case.
I again make the appeal, and the Medical Council has the law on their side, to reinstate Dr Persaud so that he can continue to save lives, and give back to society.