Dear Editor,

AS Guyana’s economic growth and development continue to progress by leaps and bounds, the opposition and the Kaieteur News have vigorously renewed and intensified their efforts to stigmatize and discredit the PPP/C Government. This is not unlike what was done prior to 2015.

The Opposition, likewise, the Kaieteur News have sung the corruption mantra with great gusto prior to the 2015 General Elections, and have achieved the desired results- the reduction of the PPP/C into a minority Government and the eventual ushering of the Coalition into power.

The mission of the Kaieteur News was achieved in 2015 and even though the Coalition took corruption to new and unprecedented heights to the extent of bankrupting the economy and sold our oil patrimony for peanuts, the publisher of this media did not rant or rave in every street corner, did not embark on street protests, did not organise protest walks, did not do any “Tik-Toking”, did not do any Glenn Lall Show and there were a multitude of things they did not do-they heard and saw no evil.

They were satisfied with the results of their misdeeds. Their silence was deafening. We are now witnessing the tremendous and unrelenting efforts made by the publisher to blame the PPP/C government for all the ‘defects’ of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement signed by the Coalition in June that year. This is despite the rational and logical explanations given by the present government.

Many ‘oil experts’ have materialised since this government took office and have been utilising corrupt examples from countries such as Nigeria to dramatise their misrepresentations of this government.

This is tantamount to saying that this government will engage in the same corrupt practices. They were non-existent prior to August 2020. The editorial of this medium and the publisher will never highlight the benefits from the oil money which Guyanese are enjoying.
It is always about how Guyanese are being “robbed” by Exxon and the government doing nothing. Those who have eyes shall see and those who have ears shall hear. Not only in Guyana, but Guyanese and citizens of other countries all over the world are proud of the developments taking place.

Glenn Lall knew from past experience that some Guyanese are gullible and all you have to do is dangle a few carrots in front of them to talk money. The APNU and the AFC mastered this art of deception in 2015. What will be more attractive than telling the people that they are going to get thousands of US dollars in their pockets?

How will Lall ever give them this? Let’s be realistic, Lall has a snow ball chance in hell to win a general election and form a government, so what’s his agenda? He is simply selling a dream-a dangerous fantasy. His real agenda is to once again assist in the removal of the PPP/C government from office, as he is not interested in the welfare of the Guyanese people. His hate for the PPP is paramount.

He is a mischief-maker par excellence. In the same vein, we saw the promises made by the Coalition which never materialised. Lies and deceit, chaos and mayhem are their only contributions to nation building.

Now the Coalition has a new addition to its repertoire — the Venezuelan/Guyana border issue- a new refrain which is sung by Duncan on his FYI programme entitled ‘Jagdeo’s Dangerous Games.’

On this programme on October 1, he made a scathing attack on Vice-President Jagdeo, insinuating that he is bringing in these Venezuelans.
This is so far from the truth. These people are fleeing from hunger and severe deprivations of basic needs, many of whom are of Guyanese parentage. All the AFC and APNU can see is votes for the PPP. Where is their humanity?

During the PNC dictatorship, thousands of Guyanese fled to all parts of the world in search of a living for themselves and families.
Many were ill-treated and treated as last-class citizens whilst some were not even allowed entry into another country– there was the Guyana Bench at the Grantley Adams International Airport and some Guyanese could not enter the country at all.

Vice President Jagdeo remembered this and empathised with the Venezuelan migrants. Is this legally and morally wrong? We cannot and should not see each and every migrant as a threat to our sovereignty.

There is a screening process and that is being followed. The USA is allowing hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans entry into the US in a safe and orderly manner, but as usual, the APNU and AFC have nothing to persuade or convince their dwindling support base of their usefulness, so they embark on their journey of lies and spinning of deceitful yarns.

It is a known fact that they are deathly afraid of the great statesmanship of the VP and his keen acumen since he is the sole reason why they are in the process of becoming the longest running opposition ever.

The plans of the Kaieteur News and the APNU+AFC will fail miserably this time since the Guyanese people are benefiting from the massive socio-economic development taking place across every community and region of this country and this is getting better on a daily basis.
Yours sincerely,

Haseef Yusuf