Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 19, 2018 Letters
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, was the guest speaker at Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry Gala on December 12, 2018. He posited that “the comments from Government camp about Guyana’s economy benefiting immediately post oil production is misleading”. (SIC)
Jagdeo, instead of encouraging the GCCI about how Guyanese Businesses can benefit from the other businesses that will emerge due to the new oil industry, decided to go on a political rant, preaching Doom and Gloom as is usual for the opposition leader.
Let me help you to understand, Oh Doctor of Doom. Guyanese will benefit from the Oil Industry directly and indirectly. Indirectly as, more persons will migrate to Guyana as the word is spreading that Guyana is the “ Dubai of South America”, which means more houses to sell and rent, more need for transportation, groceries, clothing, shoes, etc.
Every other industry will benefit directly and multiply in sales as all of the new immigrants will need services.
The Doctor of Doom is being singled out in this letter, because, while everyone is hopeful and repositioning themselves for the direct and indirect benefits of oil, he is the only person preaching Doom and Gloom. While tomorrow is promised to no man, I can only pray that he lives long enough to see the prosperity of this nation.
At the GCCI gala he further stated that US$300 million coming in per year is nothing. Let us take a moment to do some calculations; US$300 million when converted becomes GY$60 billion. Sixty Billion Guyana Dollars is approximately 1/5 (one- fifth) of Guyana’s 2019 budget.
He further remarked, “Even the oil companies, because they talk to me too…” We are well aware of his talks with the oil company. As a matter of fact, His administration negotiated the worst oil contract in the Western hemisphere. Let’s not forget the current administration had hell to renegotiate the oil contract.
If one isn’t pleased with the current ExxonMobil oil contract with Government of Guyana and its People, imagine how much more displeased you would have been had the oil contract remained the way it was negotiated under Mr. Jagdeo and his previous administration.
One should ask the question, why is Jagdeo painting such a bleak picture? Does he have such moral authority? What are Jagdeo’s true motives? Let me answer all of those questions that I previously asked.
Let’s look at Jagdeo’s pension package:- Jagdeo’s pension package cost the state no less than GY$3 million per month. Please note that many of his benefits are uncapped meaning that they are limitless.
From December 2011 to February 2014 Jagdeo’s total electricity bill amounted to $9,875,680; the transportation cost was $15,220,748; while security cost $20,321,520. This massive expenditure which is paid for using our tax dollars and was made a law by Jagdeo himself in 2009, via the Former Presidents (Benefits and Facilities) Bill, which he assented to.
Jagdeo’s GY$36 million (US$180,000 a year ( US$15,000 per month) pension package as stated before includes uncapped benefits, which exceeds that of many other Caribbean former Presidents whose economies are bigger than Guyana’s.
Barrack Obama’s pension package is worth GY$41,560,000 (US$207,800.) per year– US$17,316 per month. The size of United States Economy is US$20Trillion. The size of Guyana’s economy is US$12 Billion. While Old age pension was US$45 when he left office, his pension package remains US$15,000 per month.
Look at Jagdeo’s Pension in comparison to Obama’s pension. Do we need an economist to tell us that something is wrong with this picture?
Under his watch The Phantom Gang headed by Saheed Roger Khan killed over 400 Guyanese men extra-Judicial Style. We have not forgotten how under his watch, he refused to let the United States Drug Enforcement Agency set up office in Guyana as Guyana’s economy was clearly divided in two–the ‘Real Economy’ and the ‘Underworld Economy’ which was openly run by the nefarious activities of organized crime and money laundering syndicates.
It’s under his watch that G$20 Billion was found passing through former Permanent Secretary of Office of the President, Omar Shariff’s various bank accounts.
Is this the man that is lecturing us about our economy?
Based on these facts I have concluded along with many other Guyanese, that Jagdeo does not have the moral authority to lecture the Guyanese people about the economy or anything else for that matter. Mr. Jadgeo, Guyana is no perfect country but no one in his right mind is buying your “doom and gloom” rhetoric.
You are preaching this sermon everywhere that you go but our days for ‘doom and gloom’ are behind us.
A new day dawns in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and all of the citizens and expatriates who have chosen to take up residence in Guyana, rather returning to their homeland, are seeing it.
As a Guyanese Citizen by birth, I would conclude that your actions, including how you have plundered our treasury and resolutely refuse to pay any tax, have proven that you lack even a small amount of Patriotism.
Recently the US oil giant announced its 10th discovery, reinforcing the country’s potential to be able to produce more than 750,000 barrels of oil daily by 2025.
In the words of Outgoing, United States Ambassador Perry Holloway, “In spite of all the angst and uncertainty, Guyana’s future looks brighter now than ever before.”
“This discovery of oil offshore is a really big, big, big deal and everyone needs to take it seriously and get smarter on the issue”.
Joseph Singh (PH.DBA)
Please share this to every Guyanese including your house cats.
Apr 19, 2024
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