Dear Mr. Editor,

OVER the weekend as I browsed through the dailies of last week I was attracted by the caption: WELCOME TO THE REGENT STREET HIGHWAY RESTAURANT, a letter written by Roshan Khan and published in the Guyana Chronicle of Friday 24th February.

Several things flashed through my mind as I read, including to ask myself why Mr Roshan Khan espoused so much sarcasm in the piece. In the end I concluded that Mr Khan never fails to deliver his brand of what is right and what is wrong. This self-proclaimed moralist first sang praises then in his unique style heaped condemnations.

He writes that the service offered is ‘classy’ and of the operator ‘he obviously has high standards’, yet quibbles later that such service providers have ‘no tax obligation and standard to upkeep’.

One thing I must thank him for, is that he caused me to go on Regent Street to visit and enjoy the service of this restaurant. I found the place, located just west of RK Security Service Office on the opposite side of Regent Street. I realized, as described by Mr Khan, the ambiance was indeed a challenge for many of the so- called restaurants/snackette to emulate.

Also my suspicion that the venture was black-owned was also true. What I did not expect is that the owner is someone whom I knew for quite a while. To his credit, I must say, Mr Khan did attempt to describe this young black entrepreneuring visionary correctly.

To his attempt I’ll add that “the visionary” (Mr Khan’s term) holds a post-graduate degree, but unlike many of his peers, decided not to be an employee, but an employer.

In our discussions on the letter, which I asked him about, being mild I would say, the young man is simply taken aback by Mr Khan’s assault on him. He claimed they had, what he taught were some wonderful interactions. He cannot fathom how Mr Khan came to some of the conclusions he did about his business practices/outlook for he has a registered business, and never entertained the thought of side-lining his corporate responsibilities towards those he employs, nor to the State. He revealed that after he started operations, Mr Khan approached him and they discussed several things, including renting space within Mr Khan’s building. In their discussions he was forthwith with Mr Khan, whom he considered to be in a position to offer him advise on business.

In expressed amazement, he wondered if the venom unleashed is because he did not accept Mr Khan’s offer to rent space from him. The rental did not happen simply because Mr Khan’s desire was that no cooking should take place on the premises. A condition which is unacceptable for obviously the visionary has no intention of operating a snackette, but as indicated in the Chronicle of last week, a Restaurant.

It is clear that Mr Khan’s intent was to reduce this visionary’s standards and eventually his share of the market place. One reading Mr Khan’s letter would have the impression that this visionary’s efforts is novel to the city and Guyana.

No, it is not. I have been seeing these mobile structures from which food service providers operate for more than two decades in and around Guyana, including Georgetown. Thus I am intrigued as to his motive for making a mountain out of a mole’s hill.

What Mr Khan skillfully avoided to mentioning in his piece, is that the visionary satisfies the culinary desires of many of his staff, yes, those poorly paid RK Guards. It is a known fact that RK Security Service personnel are among the worst treated (in terms of income and conditions of work) in the arena of security services. Thus, as I reflect on his mischievous piece, two possibilities seem to have caused Mr Khan to write. He is peeved that this astute young man did not allow him (Khan) to be in a position to control the growth of this start-up enterprise and that the visionary has awaken in Roshan Khan the idea that he should be in the food business and benefit from the patronage of at least those whom he pays, and who now buy from The Visionary.

May I remind Mr Khan and others who feels that the business space of Guyana belongs to them alone that after the PPP/C Government came to power in 1992, Cheddie Jagan did resist the removal of street vendors, simply because when he first came to Georgetown, many of the owners of stores around town (in 1992) were street vendors.

The last administration has had many initiatives such as Women of Worth (WOW), the Small Business Sector loans and others schemes to aid up-and- coming entrepreneurs ventures, which the present administration have recognised and continue to lend support to. Thus, Mr Khan take a bow and allow progress to continue, and remember please do something about your current employment practices.

Yours truly,
Elton McRae