Guyana cannot heal unless the truth is told

Dear Editor,
NOW that they are in opposition, the PPP and former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, are behaving like they were angels when they were in office. Their present rhetoric seeks to convey the impression that they had administrated the government in a non-partisan manner, and had adhered to the practice of good governance. On the contrary, their record demonstrates something quite the opposite.

An examination of that party’s 23 years in power shows that the PPP deliberately instituted a policy of awarding contracts, both at the central and local government levels, to mainly party members, supporters and favoured cronies of the party leader or President. This political partisan and racist policy have had far-reaching effects for political and race relations in the country, since it resulted in the marginalization of the African and Amerindian community, with economic and social consequences which threaten their viable existence. This was the situation at the end of PPP/C rule in 2015.

In spite of this reality, Jagdeo recently displayed yet another manifestation of his shameless politics, claiming that the African condition under the PPP was rosy, even challenging President David Granger to a public debate on this issue, under the guise of “race relations”. The dishonorable gentleman has not changed his colours; he has not lost his oppressive instincts. (It was a good thing for Guyana that the CCJ struck down his devious efforts to run for president for the third time). Like all political oppressors, he seeks to present his oppression as great improvements in his victim’s lives, and expect them to agree with his self-serving declaration on their situation.

The PPP, Indian rights activist and other government detractors have succeeded in framing the debate on the government performance in an unfair way; by judging the government’s performance against that of the PPP, without taking into consideration that the PPP was in power for twenty-three continuous years. This protracted period in government– its achievements, whatever that is– should not be the test for the performance of the 3-year-old APNU+AFC government. A fairer and more meaningful comparison should be the first three years of the PPP rule after the 1992 General Elections, with that of the first three years of the coalition government. The observation above is a good example of how Jagdeo and the PPP/C, in the national debate, get away with falsifying the political discourse by propagandising on issues worthy of serious and objective discussion and debate.
Guyana cannot heal unless the truth is told, and the PPP/C held politically accountable for its criminal policy in relation to the awarding of contracts, since this policy has seriously damaged race relations and national cohesion. Government‘s expenditure constitutes the largest injection of money into the economy, and those who control and have access to these significant sums of capital, have advantages for economic and social development that other sections of the society were denied. And even with their best efforts could not compete, given this huge disadvantage. It is estimated that the government’s expenditure on contracts between 1992 to 2015 was around US$…. Or G$ … In a situation where 90% of that money ends up in the hands of one race group, the elite of that section of the society becomes super rich overnight. Accompanying this success was a sea of corruption at all levels of the society; not surprisingly, we experienced the worst degeneration of the political culture and the rise of the criminal state.

Being in government for a long period, the PPP had the time and political space to place their party hacks in many important areas of the procurement process; this allowed them to be in the position to subvert the laws and procedures relating to awarding contracts. The national and regional tender boards were dominated by official control, directly or indirectly by the party. These officials operated a system based on bribery, collusion, fraud, kickbacks, misappropriation, contract overrun, as well as inflating cost for projects, and goods/services purchased. This system is so well entrenched, that the APNU+AFC government to date has been unable to dismantle it and create a level playing field.
A keen observer is forced to conclude that the government seems to be held to ransom since the same contractors that were established and favoured under the PPP are still getting the bulk of government and regional contracts across the country, to the dismay of coalition supporters. Dislodging the well-entrenched criminal infrastructure has proved to be a formidable task that the regime is either incapable of changing, or lack the political will to do so. Ironically, this indecisiveness by the government on this grievous matter has resulted in growing political discontent in the APNU+AFC support base. In spite of this, the coalition is constantly being subjected to hostile and false propaganda by the PPP, and Indian rights activists of victimizing Indians and awarding contracts to Africans, and persons politically affiliated to the coalition. These erroneous claims of Indian victimisation are not supported by the facts on the ground.

An effective way to combat this wicked and racist propaganda is an aggressive public awareness campaign by the coalition to address this falsification of reality and lay to rest the talk of “ethnic cleansing”. An important aspect of the campaign should be a published list of contractors and businesses who have received government and regional contracts since the new government came to office, and a similar list for the PPP period–1992 to 2015.

Regards
Tacuma Ogunseye

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