Let the whole truth be told

Oct 30, 2012 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
Last Sunday evening I mused, how much more of this erosion of decency and democracy can we allow?
During the week, I was invited by a keen media person to be interviewed on two matters, Peace and the situation at City Hall.
I agreed and both interviews were done in an environment where searching issues and questions were put to me. At the end of the process, I bet my interviewer that the one dealing with City Hall would not be aired, since the television station is owned by one of our billionaires who is clearly partial to the present administration.
On Thursday, my secretary told me that she received a call stating that the said broadcast dealing with the affairs at City Hall would be aired on this Station (Channel 28) immediately after the news – there it is, I would lose this bet.
So I sat with anxiety to listen to this broadcast. Instead, on the Current Issues and Analysis (CIA) programme with Michael Younge was Minister Irfaan Ali, who told listeners how bad the PNC government was and how much more the PPP had spent in the several Regions on Roads, Education, Health etc. It was a sad and sorry display of juggling and distortion of figures clearly intended to fool ordinary folk as he did at the New Amsterdam Town Day opening last Sunday.
But even if these figures he gave are accurate, he must tell the whole story. Someone once said “figures, and damn lies”.
In glorifying how much his government has spent, I give but just a few examples to expose his calumny.
Infrastructure works, certainly his figures, must sound very impressive, but what is relevant is how much did the ordinary folk benefit from these massive sums expended.
The truth is this; Government pays a contractor $65 million for a pump facility when examination reveals the total value to be about $25 million – a $40 million benefit to a chosen few. And this is an emerging pattern.
When $600 million was included in his presentation for the Supernaam Stelling, which failed so often, my dear Minister your stated figures did not tell us how only under this administration did we see the emergence of overnight billionaires in Guyana and abroad.
Your figures certainly could explain the many magnificent mansions we see all over the place.
Your mighty sums of course included since 1992, the huge sum spent in an effort to impose the disgraced Police Chief Bernard Kerik on us.
The inflated sums are no secret – what you failed to tell us on channel 28 on Thursday was how much of those vast sums you claim were spent in Region, Health and Education have gone into the pockets of a privileged few.
In Housing, what about these development schemes where the PPP top brass benefit.
Is it the vast sums paid to ‘Fip’ Motilall who underperformed but was still awarded the contract to build the Amalia Falls Road?
Dear Honourable Minister, they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating: in your Channel 28 broadcast, you extolled the wonderful delivery in the health sector, quoting the vast sums spent. I plead with you to give an honest answer:
How many of your cabinet colleagues, members of their families and top brass of the PPP have gone abroad for medical and health treatment, when we are purported to have the equipment and facilities in Guyana.
Editor, I plead with you in the interest of justice to persuade the honourable Minister and his colleague who holds a substantive portfolio to give a truthful answer.
You can fool some of the people, some of the time, but not all the people all of the time.
In my next installment, I will explain why big ones, including those operating in the Ministry of Health make regular journey overseas, while the ordinary folks simple die to find a grave in an ugly, unkempt Le Repentir Cemetery, compliments of the government.
I end with references to the sardines not the big fish. $20.8 million invested in a Water Cannon – that is a joke – and the $17 million luxury boat purchased for the Police.
Let the whole truth be told.
Hamilton Green, J.P.

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