POLITICIAN Mr. Abel Seetaram, Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC) RMC in Region 5, has been a regular contributor to the letter columns of newspapers that accommodate his views (biased as they may be).

It is plain to see how slanted the perspectives are on matters raised by Mr. Seetaram in the past and his more recent letter captioned: ‘The PPP/C has totally failed Berbice’ [in the Friday September 5, 2014 edition of Kaieteur News].

This politician has made several jaundiced claims with the obvious intention to misinform. Of interest is the following:
1. He said ‘…but PPP/C must understand that the days are over even for the sugar industry…’
Since he signs the letter as the Chairman of the AFC in Region 5, he is therefore speaking with authority. I have not seen the AFC distancing itself from Mr. Seetaram’s utterances. The above statement is clear. The AFC wants to CLOSE DOWN the sugar industry. Sugar Workers and their families…TAKE NOTE! The AFC wants to put thousands of sugar workers out of jobs. It was these same sugar workers your party members fooled while campaigning for the last elections promising them that if they voted for the AFC they will get 20% increase in salary and the AFC has Sugar at heart. Then the same AFC politicians tried explaining away the promised 20% increase by saying it would have been 20% over the 5-year term. Sugar workers were fooled by this promise in 2011; they would not be fooled again.

2. ‘…panadol tablets are not available in our hospitals…’
The health sector in Berbice is confronting the unexpected Chikungunya virus, dengue fever and seasonal flu all at the same time. The usual quantities of paracetemol, ibuprofen and other medications were exhausted only for a short period when it was limited. However, within a day we were supplemented by stocks from the Ministry of Health and by purchases. Don’t spin the truth Mr. Seetaram, there is not an actual shortage in 2014. All is not perfect, but we have improved from where we were when we took over.
3. The matter on who built the New Amsterdam Public Hospital would not have found itself as content to this missive if Mr. Seetaram had paid attention and done research. The Government of Guyana will always be grateful to the People of Japan for this gift which came through the growing friendship between the two countries since 1992. The Government of Guyana continues to have cordial relationships with not only Japan but China, Brazil and India to name a few. This HURTS the Opposition especially the AFC because it means development. And of course the AFC being Opposition feels it is their duty to oppose development. After all, if there is development, the PPP will be in office for a ‘long, long’ time! So they oppose the Indians, the Chinese, and others.

4. It is such a shame that Mr. Seetaram would publicly accuse the Cuban trained Guyanese doctors of not working. Certainly he is not acquainted with hospital protocols, shifts and schedules of the medical staff. Nevertheless, rather than being vague, Mr. Seetaram would be advised to present facts and evidence of doctors not fulfilling their duties instead of making sweeping assumptions for political mileage. On a daily basis, irrespective of day or night, work day or week end, holiday or not, you can find the hard working doctors in all the hospitals within Berbice and I dare say in Guyana. I am sure Mr Seetaram would speak differently after having experienced this himself, if he is interested in speaking the truth and not have a distorted vision of events.

5. Developments in Berbice…new housing schemes. Yes the same housing schemes where you and your ilk go to campaign, spewing lies, making false promises, putting ‘spin’ on the truth to twist it. Last time some were gullible and they bought it. This time NO WAY!

6. The Berbice River Bridge…yes the same bridge that the AFC did not want to be constructed but its few members and leaders use regularly! The same bridge that the AFC members ungratefully cuss publicly at every given opportunity! It has saved many lives and it has saved many, many man hours. That is value beyond measure.

7. The New Schools. Refurbished schools! Yes and with new furniture! Yes, ‘Mr Blurred Vision’; the numbers of school children in schools today cannot be matched at any time of Guyana’s history! Do you know that we have schools in the village of Orealla and Siparuta? Are you even aware that we presently have a Traumatologist (qualified – a proud PPP scholar) originating from the schools of Orealla? Do you know that presently doing rotations is a GRADUATE DOCTOR originating from the Amerindian Village of Siparuta? Isn’t this development? Progress?

8. Do I need to mention the new roads, the large numbers of new houses, the clean canals, the Tain Campus, the Teachers Training colleges in Berbice, the large amount of rice lands and cash crop lands under cultivation, etc?

9. Are you aware of the number of special projects initiated in Region 6 through the BRHA:- the extended home based project, the geriatric clinic and the geriatric Mega clinics, the Home Nutrition programme, the Diabetic School, the Health and Wellness Army, the Clean Hands Save lives project, etc? Come and let us talk! You will learn and you will see that there are lots of development taking place.

I close by saying only someone with defective vision cannot see that Berbicians are better off in many aspects of life in 2014 as compared to the days even after 1992. So I’d say to Mr. Seetaram, the politician – be objective, experience Berbice through your own eyes. Don’t let others write your letters!

You experienced Health Care in Guyana, in Berbice! If you truly have the interest of Guyanese especially Berbicians at heart, come let us talk, discuss issues and you will see where development is coming from and what are plans for future development.

CONCERNED CITIZEN OF BERBICE