– that walkout was not as spontaneous as it appeared
OLD Kai is convinced that something is not right with our Opposition, currently. Truth be told, they have always been ‘sailing’ and divorced from the realities of Guyana, but this detachment has now reached a new high.
Take for instance the Opposition leader’s recent utterances on the ICT sector in the Kaieteur News: It is simply self-destructive! But I must take time out to thank Kaieteur News for printing their opposition propaganda, as it gives me the opportunity to rip their arguments to shreds, and expose their severe shortcomings.It is a known fact that the Kaieteur News has now become the New Nation (the official organ of the former PNC now APNU under Adam Harris – former New Nation Editor).
Sensing the backlash after their refusal to have the Private Sector Commission independently monitor deliberations of the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, and the Opposition’s subsequent walkout of that meeting on Monday, Kaieteur News was apparently directed to do ‘damage control’.
The following day, a little write-up on the walkout was tucked somewhere in the paper, while a bold article, proclaiming Granger’s concern for the Private Sector and ICT, was conjured up and strategically placed.
This has given rise to speculation that there was some amount of pre-planning which went into it, and would confirm that Opposition members, even before they attended that meeting, knew that they would be walking out in an effort to deny the Private Sector the opportunity to witness what our Democracy has been reduced to, because of the Opposition’s one-seat Parliamentary majority.
Individuals over at Kaieteur apparently knew about this impending drama by the Opposition, which is why they began crafting their article in advance. This is the kind of incestuous collusion between the Opposition and elements of the media who are keen on parading themselves as ‘independent’, when in actual fact they are politicians pretending to be journalists.
Now back to the Opposition leader, Mr. Granger, who is contending that the PPP/C Government should not compete with the Private Sector in Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Remember, this is the same man who promised to provide Internet Wi-Fi service, free of cost, to the entire city of Georgetown if he were elected President during the last elections campaign.
Further, Granger contends that it (ICT) is an area that should be spearheaded with capital from the Private Sector. Pity he did not have his new- found concern for the private sector and their investments when he continues to attack them for investing in the Berbice River Bridge.
The Opposition leader, clearly, is still living in the 1970s and 80s during the dictatorship, as he is quoted as saying “the government must provide certain public services, such as health and education, but once you get beyond that and start to compete in profit-making enterprises, like running newspapers and gas stations, we feel the government should pull out.”
Mr. Granger apparently is unaware that ICT plays an extremely crucial role in the development of both the education and health sectors in a modern era. A teacher based in Georgetown could be teaching, via video-conferencing, several classes in the hinterland; similarly today, surgeries are performed with the doctors being in one country, and the patient in another. This is all possible through the advancement of ICT and clearly, the government has to lay the foundation now for future development. To argue against this is to deliberately try to keep our people and country in a perpetual state of underdevelopment. But then again, this has always been the plan, apparently, the Opposition’s attack against the construction of the modern specialty hospital being a case in point.
This attempt by the Opposition to distract and ‘mauvaise langue’ (bad-talk) the government will not work. These were the paragons of transparency and accountability for the past three years; now, suddenly, they have gone into stealth mode and do not want the public to witness how they treat the nation’s business.
Where is the local chapter of Transparency International when you need them! Sorry! We have been reliably informed that they are only available if it is an activity to ‘cuss-down’ the government.
In the meantime, let us digest Granger’s words as opposed to his actions, “…We must make the country safe for business persons, for investors, for ordinary citizens…”
Is this the same man who chased away an American investor by refusing to support the Amaila Falls hydroelectric project? And whose continuing delaying tactics has resulted in Guyana being on a financial blacklist, which is affecting all investors and dissuading potential investors? (To be continued…)