WHEN the eyes become watery what can be its origins and significance?

Unhappiness, tears of joy, an infected eye gland, someone cutting
onions or fears of a crocodile also in tears poised to devour its
victim? Measure the depth of empathetic sincerity, or rather
underlying vengeance, for anyone to boldly advocate: “At this point of
time (the beginning of 2014), I am now more than ever convinced that
the crisis in the sugar industry has passed its tipping-point or point
of no return. This means that all hopes for a rational, considered and
ordered reform and reconstruction of the (sugar) industry are lost….As
presently configured the country’s sugar business can no longer go
forward as a viable commercial endeavour”. Isn’t this a recipe for
political armageddon in Guyana? Such advocacy in the SN of January 5,
2014 can be no more clearer for the WPA’s socialist Dr Clive Thomas’s
future empowerment in APNU.  Where is the wiggle room or attempt to
close the gaps, even from the WPA which divides Guyanese unlike Dr
Walter Rodney and Madiba’s legacies? If the sugar industry is not
worthy of rescue according to a renowned textbook theoretician with
absolutely no practical management or business experiences  how much
more is anyone qualified to decide or pronounce on it to “go forward as
a viable commercial endeavour”?

In fact, shouldn’t the undeniable reminder that Dr Thomas is
factually naked without business experience or relevant  acumen
easily  dismiss him totally without inclusivity to decide the fate of
sugar?  Even selling fried plantains at the street corner is enough
proof positive of some business skills. Lack thereof does no dishonour
for anyone to recuse himself especially  when seeking to terminate an
entire industry. But understanding why it prompted Guyana’s
Afrocentric magnate Mr Eusi Kwayana to make Dr Thomas blessed,
sanctifying his empowerment as relevant can only be instructionally
revealing. “Did President Donald Ramotar sell sugar cakes for him to
sit on Guysuco’s board of Directors” when it began its decline” was his
shoot back; not bad by proxy but equally fair. No offence meant, none
taken. Can King Solomon’s wisdom of deciding the true mother of a baby
give more thrilling replication in muddy Guyana for those who want to
keep hope alive? A skilled swordsman with his sword being sharpened
gets swift support by one “mother”!

However, neither Mr Ramotar’s association with the PPP’s trading arm
Gimpex, his presence on the Guysuco board, nor any lacking skills
thereof in unknown sugar cake sales, can be likewise exonerating for
sure, especially after the electorate’s very decisive response in the
2011 elections. That “Change can only come from us” by Mr Craig
Sylvester’s headlined letter in the SN letter of January 22, 2014 can
only be a good slapping awakening after the 2011 elections.  How much
clearer can Mr Sylvester become when he himself says:” I imagine the
difference between Dr Thomas and the rest of Guyana’s politicians is
that while they all know that many things are wrong about how our
country is run, only he knows the sure path (!) to economic
prosperity.”  That a future PNC/APNU government will shut down the
sugar industry is not imaginary, but a crystal clear certainty with Dr
Thomas as their skillful swordsman in the pack.
Mr Sylvester is both realistic and candidly concerned to acknowledge
that “The supporters of the PPP will not forget the mess made of
GuySuCo, and the economic chaos inflicted upon their families,
dependent upon the existence of that corporation.  One can hardly
imagine the distress and suffering of the children of these families.
GuySuCo could be wound up as a result of the PPP’s failure to grasp,
among other things, the tide of change which would have resulted from
the EU’s adjustments to its preferential arrangements, and this, if it
happens would be among the most unremarkable events during its tenure
in government. What will happen to these families still remains to be
answered.” After the 2011 elections causing parliamentary gridlock
compromises from all sides becomes necessary. Which party can fill the
gap?
It still does not make Dr Thomas’s academic evisceration of Guysuco
more justifiably superior or conclusively acceptable.  Even PNC
founder leader Mr Forbes Burnham swiftly dismissed both Dr Thomas and
Mr Kwayana. The latter’s desire to manage the bauxite industry after
the PNC nationalised Demba was found laughable. Was the PNC Prime
Minister originally wrong about Mr Kwayana to both expel him as PNC
General Secretary, fire him as head of the Guyana Marketing Corporation
and summarily avoid his control of an entire industry, which if it
crumbled, would have drastically affected all Guyanese?
Hoisting and saluting a shiny banner can only be designed to speed
its ship to the port of government. Mr Sylvester’s endorses the
PNC/WPA within APNU as the vanguard of private enterprise but it only
adds to the confusion. Consider his claims that “The PNC promotes
democratic values and is capitalist-oriented in economic policy,
meaning that the private sector (business, not excessive government
spending) is the engine of economic growth and prosperity”. AFC
defector to APNU, Dr Tarron Khemraj must be very comfortable with
his standby grooming to become the promised APNU’s Finance Minister
dumping current Mr Carl Greenidge.  So what is the complete truth?
Is Mr Sylvester launching another trial weather balloon when he says:
“I wish to acknowledge the, at times empathetic, distilled thoughts of
Dr Clive Thomas, in particular, and also the contributions made by Mr
David Granger, the Leader of the Opposition”? Who is to be taken
seriously with so many  engaged in Alice in Wonderland imagination?
That APNU is capitalist oriented with Dr Thomas as their theoretician
according to Mr Sylvester, impressed that “he knows the sure path to
economic prosperity….”  is no small irony.  The changes which have
resolved Guyana’s problems have always come from outside, as usual, when
Lilliputians tie themselves actually believing they are imaginary
giants.

SULTAN MOHAMED