Dear Editor
VINDICTIVENESS as a human, emotional response had been the weapon used by the former People’s Progressive Party PPP/C government, against those who dared criticise its unfair policies. They utilised phantom letters within the print media; verbal cuss outs in the public domain and other acts that brought sore grief to many other persons: vindictiveness was the essence of such abysmal descent.

And who best epitomised this well-known derogative during those days, and still does? We all know the answer. Since examples of such spite are well known, I will not repeat them here. But I must comment on another attempt by Bharrat Jagdeo to transfer this ugly characteristic to the coalition A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC). This is one of the known mastheads of the vile PPP/C propaganda.

Editor, Jagdeo is accusing the coalition government of vindictive behaviour towards sugar workers, because of the segment that did not receive their full severance pay. In fact, this accusation encompasses even the belief, held by him and the PPP/C, that GuySuCo should still be accommodating all the sugar workers. But such thinking is by his brand of economics. This is cheap but, very nasty propaganda, of course designed for political mileage.

The leader of the opposition must be asked what is so vindictive about the government’s programme that is seeking to salvage whatever can be, from the wreckage of a once proud industry, caused by the selfish dictates of himself and the PPP/C ?

What is so vindictive about the government, which had given $32B in order to keep the sugar industry afloat, with $8B being paid on the very first day when its director cried: “GuySuCo is broke!” What is so vindictive about government’s livelihood programmes that offer sugar workers a post-sugar life, with an array of vocational skills and entrepreneur training? Even the sugar communities, mindful of the impact of the affected workers are part of a livelihood sustenance programme. And what is vindictive about the above strategies that are designed to assist sugar workers, long after termination?

Here is a government, which actions are definably Guyanese in essence and not influenced by any consideration of ethnicity, as it endeavours to give hope to a group of the nation’s workers, their families and communities. This is the only game in town that Jagdeo and the PPP/C knows – the fear factor and race, with a view to keeping their support base in line. This is shamelessly unpatriotic and anti-national on the part of any national, inclusive of a former president. But after all, can a leopard change its spots?
Regards
Earl Hamilton