Dear Editor,

GUYANA recently observed the important significance of Youman Nabi and Sharada Navratri, and is quickly in the process of preparing for the celebration of Christmas. All three events incur religious meanings, and the majority of Guyanese of all races participate in these engagements. Thus, it’s safe to say that throughout Guyana, there is a concerted haven for religious compassion, comfort and contention. Yet, this complex country is consumed with COVID-19, crime and corruption.

Isn’t this complication controversial to the confines of Guyanese thinking, feeling and expression? On the one hand, we lend and blend with religious commitments, and on the other hand, we bend and mend with illegitimate covenants. Of course, there are the exceptions who are not composed of these attributes, and are exempted from this compressed and condensed litany of complaints.

The coronavirus is a pandemic, and as such it is expected that Guyana could not escape from the dangers of its repercussions. Unfortunately, Guyanese have been assailed by hindsight from the inception by a heartless APNU+AFC administration that lacked the temerity to handle such an uncharted issue. It is an open secret that their priority was attached to regaining political power through the back door, and as such politics came before people and policy.

The temporary platform set up as a task force to handle the situation was only a vein to drain financial remunerations for personal benefits. The infrastructure provided salaries, allowances and perks to be enjoyed from the formation of committees, and an incomplete building for a “hospital”.

Most of the appointed personnel lacked medical leadership, and so, the quality of service did not cater for the immediate needs to curtail this virus, but did accommodate the greed for the colour ‘green’. The Health Ministry was poorly run, as evidenced by millions of dollars worth of expired medicines, and the unnecessary high rents involved for the leasing of a bond for storage of what? Granger, the invisible “sanctimonious gangster”, squatting in office with his merry men of cabals, failed to solicit financial and medical aid to assist in curbing the spread and treatment of this pandemic, because they were too busy undermining democracy.

Not surprisingly, help started to immediately pour in with the swearing-in of the new President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and the PPP/C as the legitimate Government. The lack of adequate testing facilitated the spread of the disease, because people were unaware of becoming carriers and being asymptomatic.

Guyanese can recall all the various illegal gatherings on numerous occasions in the streets and indoors without properly observing all the required protocols. By the time the new PPP/C government was able to organise a decent sense of control for the pandemic task force, and institute a rigid programme for its implementation to resolve and salvage this dilemma, it was not only too late, but dangerous and damaging.
The APNU+AFC’s fall back to “cheap talk” now is petty, poor and pathetic. The absurd need to gain political mileage reflects clumsiness, foolishness and silliness. How profane can their leadership become is simply highlighting a continuity of a desperate grapple by insecure and scared men and women attempting to disguise irresponsibility, imprudence and insanity. No wonder their followers have to ponder why is it that “The man for all seasons is simply, suitably seasonal!”

To attempt to mention about the senseless, hapless and reckless crime situation is not only an exercise in futility, but also a sad and heartless intonation that has “Gone with the Wind”. Is this deplorable “epidemic” so contagious that it is beyond the reach of control, censorship and care? It is unimaginable that a country with such a small population cannot administrate the full content of the Constitution, Court and Judiciary to maintain law and order with the help of the Disciplined Forces.

The safety and security of the people is paramount to the pursuance of side attractions, and should be treated with prominence and expediency, and a sense of urgency. The Ministry of Home Affairs is once again urged to call out the “riot squad” to harness this bull by its horn.

The nightmare becomes more of a reality daily, as the revelations of more unabashed and unashamed corruptions are explicitly unveiled. Collusions and corroborations have been “the order of the day” for the previous administration, and transparency is now detrimental to the health of many of “the chosen few”. Will the buck stop somewhere sometime, or, the dice players will have to hope for a spinning wheel to unceasingly spin?

This madness is senseless, starting with the soil of oil, trending with the land with a band of improper sellers and buyers, and ending with implications with financial applications. The sore loser is, of course, the ordinary man in the street from both sides of the divide who are both naïve and gullible, cannot understand the legal ramifications but will still listen and vote for the foul mouth politicians. The upper echelons will hang their mouths where the soup leaks and the top brass will ride the gravy train. Will this country ever change for a better country? The only thing that will change is the climatic condition and that conversation is conveniently covered in a corner while the sea is over spilling the seawalls!

Respectfully,
Jai Lall