Dr Persaud should state exactly why he supports the PPP

Jul 13, 2008 Letters

Dear Editor,
I would like to add a few opinions on the letter of Dr. Randy Persaud (SN, July 11): “No disillusionment with the PPP.”

At last, someone not in any way associated with the PPP or the Government of Guyana, is not ashamed to openly identify with the Jagdeo regime. Dr. Persaud must be respected and admired for his lack of cowardice. He could have done what 60 persons do every month – write letters in the daily newspapers here praising the Jagdeo Government using false names.

Mrs. Jagan wrote last week in the Mirror that nowhere else in the world can you find newspapers where the letter pages are so misused by their advocacy of hate than in the private dailies in Guyana.

Which country is Mrs. Jagan living in? Nowhere else in the world except in Guyana can you find newspapers, including Mrs. Jagan’s own newspaper, the Mirror, where each month there are about 60 letters that heap praise on the Government and denigrate Government critics, and all are shamelessly written by people wearing masks.

Against this background one should find Dr. Persaud’s integrity refreshing. One hopes Dr. Persaud’s missive will instill some decency in others to come forward and say that they support the PPP using their real names.
It is one of the strangest occurrences in politics since time began that citizens are afraid to pen an open observation in favour of the Government. Normally, it is the other way around — citizens are scared to be sympathetic to the views of the opposition.

Having said that, I would hope that Dr. Persaud debates us on his definitive statement that he supports the PPP based on its record of achievement in Government. One would like to think that Dr. Persaud is aware that, in the analysis of the performance of a government, it may not be intellectually elegant to include IDB and World Bank aid.

They are not indicators of political ingenuity. All Governments, including the worst violators of human rights, have built impressive physical infrastructures, handsome airports, large schools and good roads with grants and loans from the World Bank, IDB, British and Canadian funding agencies.

Mr. Jagdeo loves to trumpet his reduction of the debt burden. But he never does this in a comparative context.

Ten other countries got debt relief similar to what Guyana collected, with three of them receiving more generous treatment than Guyana.

Burkino Faso, with less presidential quality than Guyana, got easier terms than Guyana. If Dr. Persaud is going to outline the record of achievement of the PPP Government, one hopes these mundane and banal gifts from international lending agencies are not elevated in the statistical outlay.

I honestly believe that if CN Sharma becomes President, IDB grants would be at the same level as they are now.

If he chooses to reply, I wish he takes into consideration the PPP’s record in the areas of law, political culture, use of power, race relations, administrative culture of the public sectors, and trade union relations.

Finally, it must be a weird country we are living in. First, Vishnu Bisram tells us that his latest survey on Guyanese politics reveals a high percentage of popularity for the President.

Now, Randy Persaud writes about the record of positive results of the Jagdeo presidency. But the same Persaud confessionally describes an insurgent movement that wants to subvert the Jagdeo Administration.

Why would a president be popular, have a record of achievement, and yet be confronted with an insurgency? Was it something he did? Or are the insurgents just wicked people who are absolutely insane, and there is nothing the Government could have done to prevent it, because these people are just wicked.

I hope Dr. Persaud has the courage of conviction to defend his support of the PPP by facts and figures.

Frederick Kissoon