Dear Editor,
RECENTLY, I came across an interview on Facebook done by the Vice-President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo. In the interview, which can be found on his official Facebook page, the Vice-President was made to defend against accusations of corruption and bribery put forward by the foreign journalist. These accusations were rehash of the same anti-PPP narratives spewed by the “usual suspects”.
Dr. Jagdeo, being the consummate politician that he is, handled the blindside in his famous erudite, articulate, confident, and no-nonsense style. On the other hand, the foreign journalist of Vice-News came across as a political plant with an agenda — that much is clear. She understood her assignment but not the subject. She was out of her depth and for a moment had one closed their eyes and followed the interview, she could have easily been mistaken for ‘Lall the Tik Taka’ with her lines of questioning and accusations.
Anyone who is familiar with Vice News’ production would know that they are only interested in the “we gotcha” sound bites and therefore we applaud the Vice President for airing the interview in its entirety (Granger would never. And as for Nagamootoo, your guess is as good as mine as to his whereabouts). Vice News is going to chop and screw this interview to propagandise a narrative of third world corruption and bribery, of Chinese banks predatory lending to developing nations, and to cast aspersions on Guyana’s newfound oil wealth – much in the same manner that is being done locally by the “usual suspects”.
The political opposition, their shills along with other anti-PPP special interest one-man groups, continue the unfounded charge of “corruption” or the perception of corruption in Guyana the same way ill-equipped parents employ fairy tales of jumbie in the minds of their young to instill fear. The negatives of such brainwashing paralyse one from venturing beyond his/ her ignorance. Sure, the child will behave in a particular manner favourable to their parents, but, at the same time, the mind is conditioned to reject out of fear and without challenging anything and everything which resembles the jumbie.
Politically, in the context of Guyana, the jumbie has come to represent progress, particularly, exponential transformational growth and development symptomatic of past and present PPP/C governments. And, so, mindlessly, the “usual suspects” have abandoned reasoning and objectivity in their conclusions or they must attach some sinister motives to the growth and development of Guyana under the PPP/C Government in their conversations. It is time they abandon such pervasive, backward thinking as it only serves to undermine our cohesion.
As the Oil and Gas industry shapes up under this new PPP/C Government, and as billions are earned from this new revenue stream so too one can expect the amplification of corruption charges against the government in the months and years to come. Our destiny is at stake, we have suffered long enough, thus we must guard against outsiders, with support for special interests locals, looking to destabilise and stoke division in our nation of six races.
Respectfully yours,
Brian Azore
