Dear Editor,
AFTER a tumultuous week of receiving, reviewing and recognising the ramifications from the CSEC, CAPE and NGSA 2022 results, Guyana is still reeling with the students’ performances, some students hugging the limelight with success, others with different shades and moods. The dawn of a new week also heralds the launching of a different future for those students, some with careers, others are on the hunt for scholarships, some seeking employment, while many will return to the same or different schools. Consideration will also entertain thoughts of quitting school and remaining at home! The country played host to the President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Abdulla Shadid. Guyana is now ranked 108th of 191 on the Human Development Index. The United Kingdom has a King, King Charles 111. The presidential Commission of Enquiry was officially established at a swearing-in ceremony, allowing investigation of the controversial events which followed the 2020 General and Regional Elections. Guyana lost another stalwart, former CCJ Judge, Duke Pollard. President Ali declared September 19th a national day of mourning for Queen Elizabeth 11. Minister Teixeira will represent Guyana at the Queen’s funeral. Guyana’s solar energy programme received a boost from the signing of a US$83.3M agreement, money derived from Norway under the previous LCDS. Mental Health Care is now widened with the signing of the Mental Health Protection and Promotion Act 2022 by President Ali. William Ruto was sworn in as Kenya’s new President with 50.5 per cent of the vote, after marginally defeating his opponent Odinga who received 48.8 per cent. President Ali attended the relaunching of the India-Guyana Alumni Association before he and his party left for the USA, to join other CARICOM Heads of Governments, where they met with the US Vice-President Kamala Harris and the diaspora. Little Diamond and Herstelling roads are earmarked for an $80M facelift. International Day of Democracy was observed in Guyana and the National Housing and Population Census of 2022 started also. As you unwind with a weekend of exciting sports, do recline with the week’s quotes and loosen up:

1) Fourth-placed NGSA student, Jaysean Manram, has great advice and encouragement for 6th Graders, “It doesn’t matter which school you go to, it matters about how hard you work.” Words of wisdom from a promising young Guyanese.

2) Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley stated, “We are living, as we all know, in very difficult and uncertain times and in a world where in excess of 40 countries are on the brink of debt difficulties and debt crisis.” Thankfully, under the astute leadership of President Ali, the PPP/C government is on an economic recovery and transformative road for Guyana to avoid any debt- crisis syndrome.

3) “It’s nice to come to a place that doesn’t smell of fresh paint,” the late Queen used to say. She loved horses, visiting the stables and horse racing.

4) Poland’s 21-year-old Iga Swiatek is the 2022 US Open Female winner. She is rated as number one in the world. Spain’s 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz won the Male US Open.

5) “I would use other methods to achieve our objective,” Norton warned. The case of the sinister mind plays out daily, loud and clear. A gifted tool for all things evil.

6) In the Mid-Year Report, Dr Ashni Singh quoted, “It is expected that a further 8,000 lots will be distributed by the end of the year.” Since entering into office in 2020, the dynamic PPP/C government have [sic] allocated some 11,680 house lots. They are well on their way to achieve the distribution of 50,000 house lots over the five years, as promised.

7) The appeal is of “great urgency and public importance.” Wasn’t the 90 days calling of General elections after the NCM of such a nature? What about the installation of President Ali being delayed for five provoking months? Then again, shouldn’t the PNC party have immediately declared the US$18M signing bonus? Guess those events were not important or of great urgency and public importance!

8) “Leave the politics out of this. Let the people work with us on the development of the people,” President Ali advised. The people chose to follow the President instead of boycotting the meeting at Mocha- Arcadia. The people have chosen the President over the Coalition!

9) “I am not here to tell you  that I want all of you to vote for the PPP/C, I am here to tell you that I want all of you to benefit from the PPP/C government,” President Ali informed the people at the commissioning of Burnham Boulevard. President Ali chooses people over politics to provide equality in services for a “One Guyana.”

10) Will the APNU+AFC joinder contest the next Local Government Elections, or, will the AFC go solitary? Mr Jan Jat shoots blank!

11) “And I don’t believe there is need for me to pick a fight on every issue or any issue at this stage,” said the leader. Must be the joke of the year! The man seeks out every opportunity to make an issue out of nothing and everything!

12) “The risk you have, and in some sectors you’ve already seeing it, is that people are leaving without there being enough younger workers to take over, so there’s a loss of human capital and knowledge,” stated Chief Economist at Desjardins Group, Jimmy Jean. Canada’s real problem is not job losses but the rush to retire.

13) “Notify every community that the Government of Guyana will be working with every citizen, every household,” President Ali vociferously declared. The PPP/C government is determined to reach each village in all the regions in order to listen to the people’s problems and resolve their issues.

14) “…the APNU+AFC had a superior formula with regards [sic] to transparency and accountability aspects of the Natural Resource Fund,” claimed the Opposition MP. Oops, never mind the undeclared US$18 Million signing bonus that was hidden!

15) The peeved PNC is sulking. Their cronies are not allowed total domination and control of the NRF Board and more importantly, the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee. They so much want to rule from the outside!

16) “Brace for year-end spending spree by government,” noted the enthusiast. Those sitting on the other side of the fence will galvanize with their neighbour to gleefully, gladly and gratefully help in the distribution of Christmas bonuses!

17) How convenient to suffer ‘memory lapse’ in order not to remember that the Mace has “no relevance and place’ in the exercise of Parliament’s constitutional power and authority to make laws!

18) “Linden has 100 per cent and more trained teachers and you see the children performing better,” observed the Education Minister, Priya Manickchand. The PPP/C government is ensuring that Region 10 is a forefront runner in education.

19) “If we teach children the right thing, more than likely they would go through life using these techniques,” advised Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony. A healthier lifestyle is a preventative measure against illnesses and health complication.

20) Guyanese stand to save some $210 million annually from the PPP/C government’s suspension of the 3 % processing fee, which the former PNC government had imposed on suppliers importing milk and dairy products.

21) “The landscape of every village, every farming community, and every mining area is littered with the presence of rum shops,” Justice Sandil Kissoon remarked. The time is ripe for a review of the law on the subject of issuing liquor licences.

22) “This celebration is meant to ensure that we continue to embrace each other, regardless of ethnicity, regardless of social media, that we remain in celebration with and among each other,” Minister Kwame McCoy stressed at the Amerindian Heritage Celebration at Soesdyke. The PPP/C government is crossing all barriers in order to unite and unify Guyanese towards the realization of a “One Guyana.”

23) There is always a big “if” to qualify and quantify a confirmation. “If she is awarded the chair,” wrote Uncle Freddy, makes the world of difference!

24)”And this process, this Commission of Enquiry, is part of ensuring that this never happens again,” the Attorney General emphasised. The findings and recommendations will ensure that the PNC party will never rig any more elections again.

25) “So, it is a transformative project for Guyana. We are thankful that the IDB has been working side by side with Guyana to utilise this money that was lying in an account for over six years and we are thankful for them bringing us to the stage at which we are,” acknowledged Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips. It took the trusted PPP/C government to access this fund and to gain the confidence of the IDB to release the money which will benefit communities under GUYSOL.

26) “By now, it is safe to conclude that the opposition are in disarray and are clueless,” the good Dr Leslie Ramsammy surmised. The PPP/C party is in a league of its own, has outshone the PNC, and is unstoppable and unbeatable.

27) “Standing here today is testimony that there is a God in heaven. I want to thank God because a village boy has become the President of Kenya,” said former Deputy President, William Ruto. President Ali also came from a village, Leonora. He had to overcome the diabolic PNC party, with help from divine intervention also, from others and the US Government.

28) “However, the opposition has outright refused to follow the rules and laws designed to govern investigations into this sensitive issue,” the Attorney General observed. From the days of Burnham, Hoyte, Granger and now Norton, the PNC party has always disobeyed law and order and has no respect for rules and regulations.

29) “Anytime there is an attempt to ventilate their concerns, they are not participating or they are incompetent to participate,” the AG noted. Strong words, but then again, he’s not wrong!

30) “Therefore, the headline of the letter is blatantly false and misleading,” said the PPP commissioners.  Poor chaps, the Coalition caught with their pants down again. Low and Go have Co.

31) “We need to improve our responses to the level of the fire service….” said Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn. The GFRS need to step up its game in order to deal with the pace of the high-pressure gas and energy development.

32) “These cherished democratic values are fragile and sadly, not all global citizens enjoy the rights that stem from these values,” the ABCE joint missive stated. The US had to impose visa sanctions on members of the PNC party and their immediate families for the role they played in undermining democracy in Guyana.

33) “They [the Caribbean] have already begun to borrow our syllabus and course materials,” Attorney General Anil Nandlall informed the nation. The PPP/C government is again in the forefront in piloting the “graduands of prosecutor’s course.”

34) “Guyana is better off with these meetings,” echoed President Ali with US VP, Kamala Harris, as he championed the cause for an additional US$25M on top of a US$28M to aid the Caribbean  women, youth and agriculture.

35) “Anybody who wants to make small politics and create confusion out of this will not be tolerated, because the general attitude is, people want to see that this area developed,” reported Minister Edghill. Squatters will be relocated in order to facilitate a $1.5 Billion, 1.8 Km Independence Boulevard enhancement project.

36) While more pigs are given to “beef-up” production, PNC’s “mistake” becomes “beef-stake,” as some persons (over 1,000?) were mistakenly included in the PNC’s evidence, which they claim provides proof of voter impersonation at the 2020 General and Regional Elections! Bowled while shuffling

Sixth graders are smiling with their NGSA results. Region Four residents are smiling with a newly commissioned $89 Million Martyrs’ Ville Nursery School. Lindeners are smiling with a Chetram Brothers operated $400M concrete facility opened by Caribbean Concrete Guyana Inc., which will provide employment for 200 job seekers.
Residents of Mocha-Arcadia are smiling with a $200M road upgrades plan. Five families are smiling with their new homes in Mainstay, compliments of Food For The Poor. Guyana is smiling with four-year-old Tafari Jacobis after his successful recovery from heart surgery. Fifty-eight teachers from Region Nine are smiling with their certificates of completion, having graduated from the digital education programme. Fifteen Annandale squatters are smiling after being relocated with the news that their new homes will be constructed early. Over 400 Annai residents in Region Nine are smiling as they have access to water for the first time. Sasha Woodroffe is smiling as the only professionally qualified actuary currently working in Guyana. Twenty-five Buxtonians are smiling with $56M as they are contracted to rehabilitate Buxton’s village bridges. Charlie Chaplin will keep you smiling with, “I have many problems in life. But my lips don’t know that. They always smile.”

Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall