Dear Editor,

PLEASE allow me a space in your newspapers letter column to share my views on what has happened and said by the former AFC MP Charrandass as of December 21, 2018 to date pertaining to his “YES” vote towards the opposition’s no- confidence motion against the government.

Over the past days a lot has been said by the government, opposition, the public and legal minds and moreover the former MP, who is being considered as a “Betrayal” to the AFC and the majority Guyanese at large that is being represented or voted for the coalition government.

Why I said that the MP sold his character (soul) and conscience in my caption? It’s very evident that he did, although he said that he had voted with his conscience and not by party line.

If we are to look back from the time this man joined the AFC to his last speech in the National Assembly during the Budget 2018 debate, he degraded and belittled, or should I say bared his soul against the injustice that the PPP did to the Guyanese people.

Let’s take for example his last speech in Parliament where he defended the government’s 2019 budget proposals.  This very MP told the nation and world that was watching and listening, that in 2019 Region Six will benefit positively and tremendously in transformational changes and developmental works that never took place under the PPP.  He went on and identified better roads, drainage and irrigation.

He went on further and praised the Hon. David Patterson for lighting up the #19 Highway on the Corentyne in Berbice, which was never done under the 23 years of the PPP. He went on and praised the said minister and this government for reducing the Berbice River Bridge toll, he explained in details that the PPP was to be blamed for this heavy-duty toll that faces Berbicians.

Further, the former MP Charrandass went on to tell the nation in that very speech, that it was the PPP who have to be blamed for the closure of the Rose Hall Sugar Estate. He said that the government paid the workers their severance which was more money that they had worked for during their working years in the industry.

He went on further to say that we (APNU+AFC Government) were giving money to a business that does not bring back any returns.  The former MP said in that very breath, that it is not the APNU+AFC government that crippled the industry, but that was done a long time ago by the PPP.

So it’s very hard to believe that this very MP said that he has voted against this government because of sugar workers.  This very MP said that for almost three and a half years he had to do what the government wanted to him to do, by the way, I doubt it.

But he also said he is a successful lawyer, which I won’t dispute, but the questions are: did this successful lawyer have someone writing his speeches that he used to debate in the National Assembly? Or, if yes, who does and why he didn’t object went he vets it before he read it in the Parliament?

It is my firm belief that this very MP is losing his ability to think and remember what’s correct and right for Guyana.  Because it is this very MP who used to go on television week after week in Berbice and cuss down the PPP for making Guyana a corrupt nation, for the state of the sugar and rice industries, for the state of infrastructure and making this country poor that people have to suffer.

Didn’t he have a conscience when he was talking as to what had happened under the PPP that this government had to correct?  In fact, he will praise the work of the government, especially the decision to downsize the sugar industry.  Only recently at a function on the Corentyne, this very MP praised the work of the government.

He said that because of what this government has done to the sugar workers made him vote the way he did.  We all know that’s a lie.  If he cared so much for the sugar workers, why didn’t he resign from the beginning of downsizing of the industry, or ask the PPP to bring this no-confidence motion then. But I think he was waiting to ensure the benefits from the parliamentary pension and the other benefits available.

This very MP took supporters of the APNU+AFC government from his area the very day of the no-confidence debate to show their support for the APNU+AFC Government.

But yet recently he told Kaieteur News via an interview or letter that he hasn’t done anything to develop Region Six.  This statement may be true, because as an MP you have the mandate to represent the people of your region by going around and listening to their concerns and try as hard as possible to address the issues affecting them.

This MP does not do that, in fact, after his day’s work he would call over a few friends and play dominoes until he was ready to take his rest.  On weekends, he would hardly be in the region; and if he was, then he won’t move around, so people hardly got to see him.  The only time you would get to see and talk to him is when a top government official or a minister is visiting the region; he will show up and then disappear.

So, how can you do things in that fashion and wanted to develop a region when you have no interest at all in the people that put you there to represent them?  This was raised many times with the leadership and the MP always maked an excuse and begged to be forgiven.

And the legendary Bob Marley says, “Some will eat and drink with you and su-su pan you.”  I find those lyrics well suited for the latter part of my caption above.

Editor, I used the lyrics of uncle Bob Marley to say that this very MP who sat, ate, laughed and dined with the people of this government, the president, the prime minister, government officials, ministers and their families, etc, could have done what Jim Jones had done because everyone trusted him; but his betrayal is what will make many think as to how many could have died innocently.

So, Mr Charrandass Persaud, when you said you voted with your conscience, it was all lies and fake because the looks on your face in Parliament and words in your interview with the media after you betrayed the very people you sat with that trusted you were totally different.

Oh, and I almost forget to mention that the evidence was clear that you had the PPP watching over your back after you decided with them to sell out.

This government will rise again, because the development that took place in the three short years saw Guyana climbing positively on the world map.

I wish you all the best, especially if you have more plans to betray some other set of people.

Regards,
Abel Seetaram
APNU+AFC
Regional Councillor
Mahaica-Berbice, Region Five