Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 21, 2016 Letters
Dear Editor,
Mr. Frederick Kissoon in his column captioned; “Why would the WPA want to save a govt. that doesn’t want to be saved?” which was published in the October 13, 2016 edition of the Kaieteur News, revisited the explanation I offered in an earlier letter for the WPA’s “silence” on controversies the APNU+AFC government were embroiled in, since coming to power. In his usual dismissive and provocative way Kissoon called on David Hinds and me to explain WPA’s silence on the coalition government’s recent acquisition via NICIL, of DDL shares in the Berbice River Bridge Company.
Mr. Kissoon’s contention is that the government failed to inform the public of its intention to buy out DDL shares and this was a blatant display of the administration disrespect for transparency. He sees the use of NICL to carry out the deal as a contradiction given the position the APNU+AFC coalition had taken on that agency when in opposition.
I am in no position to challenge the accuracy of Kissoon’s claim that the government failed to inform the public that it had taken a decision to buy DDL’s shares in the Berbice Bridge Company before going ahead with the transaction. However, I am aware, and it is public knowledge that the government had made clear its intention to pursue ways to give the Guyanese tax payers its rightful control of how decisions are made by the board of the company. I am doubtful that the law and established government practice, or, good governance, requires the government to go beyond what is stated above.
I am not sure what Kissoon meant by his remark “a govt. that doesn’t want to be saved”. From my observation the coalition government is not facing imminent destruction. However, there seems to be wide consensus that the administration had not made the best use of the goodwill and political capital it came into office with 16 months ago. This view is pervasive inside and outside the coalition. Given the present situation the WPA sees it as its responsibility to do everything in its power to halt the slide. As I said in my earlier letter, we in the WPA, consciously decide on how we engage our partners in the coalition in trying to achieve our objective. It is clear that our approach at times run contrary to the expectations of Kissoon and other WPA detractors. To all appearances Kissoon seems to want to dictate things from his column in KN. While I do not agree with the positions on the WPA which he advocates, I will concede that he has a right to his views.
As it relates to NICL’s continued existence, my position is until the government makes a decision otherwise, NICL remains a legitimate agency and must be made to carry out its mandate. Kissoon is aware that NICL is in the process of reform and is no longer viewed by the public as the entity which operated outside of the parameters of the law.
In closing, I want to use this opportunity to say that President David Granger, in his timely address to the National Assembly on Thursday. October 13, 2016, did for the government what Kissoon had asked the WPA to do.
Tacuma Ogunseye
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THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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Have you lost your mind Tacuma? What survey did you conduct to determine that the Public favor the retention of NICIL. I mean, it appears that power really bring out the Orwellian characteristics of people in Guyana. Your contention is a mirror reflection of the PPP’s.
Tacoma, would you accept it if I say that the public generally believe and accept what Mr Freddie Kissoon writes but do not believe any of you politicians? If you can’t accept that then, as the rest of the coalition, you have lost all contact with Guyana’s reality and thus have no right to base your arguments on the way the public view things. You simply cannot know.