Dear Editor
MR Editor, kindly permit me space in your newspaper to briefly respond to one of your most famous and respected contributors to your Sunday edition under the caption ‘Eye on Guyana’, April 8, 2017.
The unavoidable title ‘The power-grabbing effort to control Linden Television’ captured my attention and it was indeed an interesting read, I must confess. Mr Editor, I was perplexed by some of the coined phrases posited by Mr Lincoln Lewis, such as ‘an orchestrated power grab being carried out to deprive the people of what’s rightly theirs’ and ‘some who hold public offices in Region 10 that are collaborating with a group in Georgetown to hold the people hostage.’ Some very strong words, from a senior man who, evidently still possesses a very active imagination.
I would like to state unequivocally that I am a born-and-bred Lindener and have never nor will I ever endeavour to deny my people, our fellow Lindeners and people of Region 10 what is rightfully ‘ours.’
Secondly Mr Editor, the writer’s comment about me insulting the intelligence of my fellow Lindenders by saying the meeting was aborted because the board members were not in receipt of the Trust’s Articles of Association is not a story as he puts it, nor would I ever be bold enough to possess the audacity to venture and insult my fellow residents. We are a proud and very intelligent people.
Mr Editor, what is wrong with me requesting information that was promised to be provided several months ago? Wouldn’t it be insulting or moreover irresponsible for intelligent people to make a decision that will impact the lives of thousands of people, without information? The question therefore is why are those very important documents not being provided? Is there something afoot? Is there something the holder of those documents wants to remain secret? What is the untold story Mr Editor? Don’t the people of our township/region deserve the right to know?
Balloting rightly so as posited by the writer is indeed secret in any part of the world and it is an accepted norm, so is voting by show of hands or saying yea or nay. What was the point trying to be achieved? It is evident Mr Editor, that the third-hand information provided to this man whom I admire was indeed misleading. The fundamental reason for not proceeding with the proposed election rests on a principal position as stated above. The alleged board members were not being furnished with promised documents to make a prudent and informed decision.
Mr Editor, I purposely said alleged board members because as I am aware, the Trust has only four legal bonafide members, the others who are being proposed to be members, of whom I am one, have no legal standing; if we do, where is the legal instrument to substantiate such, hence the promised documents. Participating in an election of such would definitely be an insult to one’s intellect and it would be a mere participation in a circus act.
Mr Editor, the Honourable Prime Minister has made strident efforts to assist in every regard to bring a conclusion to this issue and his assistance to reconfigure the board was most appreciated, but that does not constitute a legal proceeding to give legal status to the proposed members, does it? The Prime Minister was in the midst when commitments were made to provide the Articles of Association, so all members would be endowed with the knowledge of its content; but to date, as I pen this letter, we are still unaware.
There is no obsession for power and titles as being touted by Mr Lewis, the only obsession is to have clarity of the unknown and bring a speedy closure to this exercise. In conclusion Mr Editor, it would be remiss of me not the question Mr Lewis’s comments about the establishment of the Trust being commenced without one cent from the regional government, PNC/R APNU, AFC and the then PPP/C government, but by kind persons. Who those kind persons were? Were there donations not from Lindeners, members of the region and other supporters of the struggle who are PNC/C, APNU, AFC and maybe PPP/C? Why was the noteworthy financial contributions and technical support of Mr Tony Vieira forgotten? With that significant financial contribution bordering several million dollars of Mr Vieira’s money, was it out of an affinity for the people of Linden, or was it a prudent business undertaking? If it was, don’t the people of Linden/ Region 10 deserve to know, after all, is it not their television station? Why the secrecy?
The efforts and contributions of Lindeners in the 2012 struggle, no matter how small it was, whether you were on the front line or at the back of the line should not be described as lukewarm or non-supportive, especially from visiting outsiders who see opportunity from the hardships of others to satisfy their dwindling ambitions. Only he who feels it knows it. My contributions to the 2012 struggle are forever recorded in the annals of history, however small or significant as it was. “Label us Revolutionaries not APNU or AFC” July 23 2012 Kaieteur news.
Regards
Jermaine Figueira
Member of Parliament
Region 10