Dear Editor
I OFTENTIMES wonder, which of the two major political parties has done more damage to the Guyanese psyche? I know that you have probably asked yourself that question too. Over the years, the PPP and the PNC have really messed up the Guyanese people. However, somewhere in the back of their heads, the Guyanese people seem to think that these same political parties that broke them can turn around and fix them.

And that might as well have been a plausible reality, if those who now lead these two entrenched parties were of the patriotic mindset, in order to really fix Guyana. However, every time they open their mouths or every time we observe their attitudes, we see only selfishness, double talk, lies and corruption. Mr. Jagdeo was in New York recently and he called a collection of his most loyal supporters together to spill his trademarks of bile and hatred. In his usual ranting style, he told his supporters that the coalition government is taking the country back to the days when they had to flee the country for safety and betterment. Imagine that, the most recent past President of Guyana and leader of the PPP, is telling the folk seated in the United States, many younger than 23 years old, that the coalition is making Guyanese run from Guyana.

It is as if Mr. Jagdeo does not listen to himself. How can he say those things and get away with it? How can he speak those words and not be challenged? Guyanese would well remember that while Burnham and the PNC caused thousands of Guyanese to flee Guyana, the exodus did not stop when the PPP came into power. In fact, when President Jagan was President, the migration lessened as the country became more peaceful and the fortunes looked a bit promising.

However, when Bharrat Jagdeo took over and the corruption and murders were spiralling out of control, the migration from Guyana jumped back up. Many of those people from Richmond Hill who were listening to Jagdeo, are amongst the ones who fled Guyana under the reign of Jagdeo, and many of them know of family and friends who ran to Canada and other Caribbean countries because of the policies of Jagdeo.

Now he is in New York selling himself as Guyana’s messiah in waiting. He also spoke of the need for constitutional reform. Would(to) my brothers and sisters in New York, United Republican Party (URP) would like to ask that you all please be reminded that this man was in power for 12 consecutive years. If he were serious about constitutional reform, he would have done — while in power — what he is now suggesting needs to be done. Jagdeo is so power-hungry that he supported a move to undo the two-term presidency limit and even accepted the leadership of the PPP, after being President for 12 years. Who does these things, except narcissistic despots, who think that the world revolves around them?

The PPP and the PNC are playing games with the Guyanese people. The coalition Government is now making the diaspora jump through hoops to get a seat at the administrative table. They went to NY, Canada and the Caribbean and promised the Guyanese people abroad that if they support the APNU+AFC, they would include them in aiding with the governance of the country. Now after two years, the diaspora is still to have an official outfit at the Ministry of the Presidency.

The University of Guyana has now undertaken to have a forum on diaspora matters, to seek to do what the leaders of the Government promised that they would have done. Members of the diaspora are hoping that this will win the attention of the Government. The URP wishes them luck. Many Guyanese are just frustrated and discouraged. 2020 can’t come quickly enough.

Regards
Dr. Vishnu Bandhu
Leader, URP