Dear Editor,

QUITE interestingly, I have discerned that one ‘ghost writer’Emily Lorrimer, has been replaced by another-Surujdai Juglall, and dissecting these letters carefully, the emergence coincides with that of the WIN party before and after the 2025 General and Regional Elections.

These fictitious writers should be man enough to append their real names (identity) in order for the public and those attacked personally to do a proper evaluation and take whatever legal course of action may be deemed necessary.

On the other hand, the newspapers who printed these letters should do due diligence to ensure that ‘ghost writers’ are weeded out. I have always written letters using my real name and yet many times my letters were not published by two newspapers in particular.

These two writers have made no qualms in supporting the WIN party and have continuously attacked Minister Ashni Singh and Minister Mustapha. Yet these very newspapers gleefully publish these letters.

These ministers have excelled in their performances of their respective sectors, but have been singled out for character assassination and ad hominem attacks, both of which weaken an argument. Maybe it has to do with a decision which affected them personally and not our country.

These writers must be cognisant of the fact that ‘cherry picking’ and the use of selective statistics can be used to portray the picture we want the public to see and guilefully hide the bigger picture of what happened.

It was Mark Twain who once stated that, there are ‘lies, damned lies and statistics,’ which means that sometimes statistics are used to strengthen weak arguments.

When the results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections results for Region Six are compared with that of the 2025 elections, it is crystal clear that the WIN party wrecked the APNU and not the PPP/C and this result was long anticipated.

The supporters of the WIN party attending their campaign meetings and rallies were clearly identified as APNU/AFC supporters. Let those who have eyes see. WIN was seen as a threat by the APNU and other small parties to the PPP/C, but they were sadly mistaken.

Norton and Hughes realised this too late, the damage was already done. I was on the ground prior to September 1 and saw that there was a switch from APNU and AFC to WIN in Region Six.

The results showed that in 2020 in Region Six, APNU/AFC garnered 20,399 votes and the PPP/C 43,440 with total valid votes cast of 64,657. In 2025, the APNU was reduced to 6,223. WIN 12,623 and the PPP/C 41,320 with total votes cast of 60,974.

I wish to bring to the attention of the writers that the PPP/C gained more seats in 2025 than in 2020. There is no ‘silent’ damage done to the PPP/C. The writer hopelessly lost perspective here.

How do we interpret this? In 2020, APNU+AFC secured 31.5 % and the PPP/C 67.1% whilst in 2025 the combined APNU and WIN secured 30.1 % and the PPP/C 67.7%. Therefore, the PPP/C has done extremely well by maintaining a consistent margin.

The argument that about over 22,000  voters did not vote can be attributed to many factors and not only because these persons were ‘disenfranchised’ with the PPP/C and the ministers.

In one letter, the writer attacked Minister Bharrat and Minister Mustapha and in another he attacked Minister Ashni and Minister Mustapha as being responsible for what he falsely claimed to be  dwindling support for the PPP/C.

It is clear that the writer has a bone to pick with the Agriculture Minister and this should be an indicator who the real writer is.

I wish to take the writer back to 2015 when the APNU+AFC made many lofty promises to the sugar workers and the rice farmers and failed them miserably-$9,000 for a bag of paddy and 20% wage increases.

None of these materialised. This goes to prove that some people are easily persuaded by ‘lofty promises,’ but this time in 2025 they saw a man going around sharing money, houses, and cars with the promise that there will be lots more should he become the president.

Some swallowed, hook line and sinker. I spoke to a few of these persons from Chesney/Kilcoy and Canje areas and they told me that that they were personally offered cash and cars by WIN.

These people saw the realisation of instant gratification. They felt that they have already gotten from the PPP/C government, so it was time to ‘ketch’ their hand with Azruddin. This is not about country and our young people not having opportunities in Region Six, this was simply business for some.

Moreover, another factor which the writer conveniently ignored is the fact that many persons on the voters list have migrated, some died and some changed residence to other areas. Persons moving to other areas will show a shift in voting patterns. Many of these persons will not reappear in 2030 to vote as the writer suggested.

In addition, the writer whom I am positive has a background in sugar, seemed to believe the PPP/C’s investment in sugar should have afforded that party a landslide victory, not a ‘pyrrhic’ one.

Is it a hollow victory which comes at a great cost? Should securing the livelihoods of workers be deemed a great cost? Are 36 seats a hollow victory?

The writer should have his head examined, spewing garbage when all the parties, including WIN, promised to invest more in the sugar industry just to con the workers.

But this con failed and the writer should ask Azruddin to give him an estimated cost of his ‘pyrrhic’ victory as the opposition leader. Many youths all over the world are attracted to hedonistic pursuits and instant gratification and the WIN leader offered that, not unlike his lifestyle.

Our youths should not be misled in this manner, they should be taught the principles of hard work, patience and sacrifice. But what can you expect from a leader who is not endowed with these qualities and who got rich the easy way.

In contrast to Azruddin, Ministers Mustapha, Bharrat and Dr Singh are definitely of presidential material. They are endowed with the required leadership qualities, diplomacy, sound judgment and mental fortitude and empathy. They are from humble but respectable backgrounds and strive hard to achieve where they are today, and no naysayers will convince the masses otherwise.

Yours sincerely,

Haseef Yusuf