Dear Editor,
LAST Sunday, Mervyn asked a pertinent, painstaking and provoking question in the letter columns in the newspaper.

The writer pleaded: “Why is it so difficult to transact the people’s business in a fair, open and transparent manner?”

Every Guyanese at home and abroad, young and not so young can supply tons of answers. All regional and international followers with Guyana’s interest at heart will supply replies, responses and retorts. To qualify, quantify and clarify the nature of the question, one may explore some rejoinders not necessarily in a summative nor sequential format but randomly and significantly listed:

1. Why is it so difficult to declare the US$18M signing bonus upfront instead of hiding it from the nation and it leaving it unaccountable for?

2. Why is it so difficult to accept defeat at the motion of no-onfidence?

3. Why is it so difficult to deduce the half of 65?

4. Why is it so difficult to call an election instead of holding on to power for some additional two years illegally?

6. Why is it so difficult to pay the 7,000 odd fired sugar workers their compensation on time?

7. Why is it so difficult to award all public sector workers 50 per cent salary increase instead of only a few chosen ones?

8. Why is it so difficult to conduct free and fair elections?

9. Why is it so difficult to accept the re-count votes as analyzed by the local, regional and international observers?

10. Why is it so difficult to be polite, respectful and cordial to diplomats?

11. Why is it so difficult to maintain a civil behavior in Parliament?

12. Why is it so difficult to preach peace instead of instigating violence at the end of an election?

13. Why is so difficult to lead Guyana towards a future showing the pathway of peace, progress and prosperity instead of poverty, unemployment and bankruptcy?

14. Why is it so difficult to do the right thing, speak the truth and abide with the law in order to avoid embarrassing Guyanese at each turn to the whole, wide world?

15. Why is it so difficult to place Guyana positively on the world map, as President Ali is doing?

16. Why is it so difficult to earn the title “Champion of the Earth” as former President Jagdeo did?

17. Why is it so difficult to partner and change the face of CARICOM as this crop of leaders are doing?

18. Why is it so difficult to run a country without high and unnecessary taxation as the PPP/C Government has done and is doing?

19. Why is it so difficult to visit all the regions, and meet, mix and associate with the people perpetually as the current government is doing instead of waiting on elections? Why is it so difficult [to] formulate a manifesto and execute it for the people and by the people instead of retracting on promises?

20. Why is it so difficult to be honest, dignified and open in order to portray integrity and honor instead of polluting the minds of people with propaganda so that you can win friends and influence people?

21. Why is it so difficult to make a lucrative oil agreement like Suriname did instead of a lop-sided contract?

22. Why is it so difficult to state who authorised the signing of the oil contract with a 2 per cent royalty?

23. Why is it so difficult to confess to a bad deal and selling out the wealth of the people?

24. Why is it so difficult to produce the SOP’s?

25. Why is it so difficult to accede to the wish of the electorate instead of being sanctioned and booted out?

26. Why is it so difficult to work in the real and ultimate interest of the country instead of holding it to ransom for five long, agonizing and painful months to the detriment of the health of the economy and people?

27. Why is it so difficult to recognise a legal and legitimate government elected and not selected?

28. Why is it so difficult for a leader wanting to be addressed as “honor and excellency” instead of “sanctimonious?”

29. Why is it so difficult to avoid draining the treasury instead or replenishing the treasury?

30. Why is it so difficult to be prudent instead of being incriminated in numerous financial misappropriations?

31. Why is it so difficult to be good bookkeepers and store, save and protect documents instead of discarding and hiding documents from auditors?

32. Why is it so difficult not to be tongue-twisters and distort facts and figures for convenience?

33. Why is it so difficult for one government not to make a mess and to have another to clean up the dirt?

34. Why is it so difficult to see eye to eye?

35. Why is it so difficult to shake hands?

36. Why is it so difficult not to make life difficult for Guyanese to live without difficulty?

Answering a question with a question is permissible!

Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall