They’ve all drunk the ‘Kool-Aid’; it just hasn’t killed them yet

Dec 14, 2020 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
Finally, our dearly beloved Guyana, this land of entertained infidels and encouraged promiscuity, famous for much and infamous for many, her name was eventually implicitly and explicitly dragged in the unabated arena of America’s upheaval and debacle, pertaining to the conflicts inflicted by the unprecedented November Presidential Election. At home and in the diaspora, many articles, letters, notes, speeches and correspondences made references to the synonyms and antonyms of the repercussions of Guyana’s election trauma. Comparisons, contrasts, criticisms, confirmations, controversies and contradictions, perpetually, exhausted writers with this saturated subject and indulged in pummeling the many flavours of its teasing and unabashed proclivity. On Saturday, Guyana’s name was clearly adumbrated and transparently spelt out distinctly to draw an illustrious analogy between Guyana’s propensities and America’s susceptibilities.As President Donald Trump continues to repeatedly allege that the troubled and highly contested election was stolen from him due to assumed wide spread fraud, he has failed to produce any convincing evidence to substantiate the allegation and convince the judiciary system. Last Friday, the Supreme Court justifiably dismissed the petition brought by Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, to reverse the election result in favour of the Republicans. This is in keeping with all the previous 30 odd cases which were defeated, dismissed or withdrawn. On Saturday, it was reported that former New Jersey Governor, Christine Todd Whitman, was very critical of the Republicans who were supporting President Trump’s bid to overturn the election. A Republican herself and former member of President George W. Bush’s cabinet, she trashed the GOP support for Trump’s attack on American libertarian and their refusal to stand up to him. Her remarks highlighted the divide between GOP members who have separated from America’s democratic customs to support Trump’s deceitfulness and a smaller group of Republicans who have openly acknowledged and embraced President-elect Biden’s victory, sounding off a warning of undermining America’s democratic institutions.
In Whitman’s scathing and harsh comments, she compared the Republicans rallying behind Trump’s attempts to rescind the election result and declare a win in his favour, to members of the Jonestown doomsday cult. “I keep comparing it somewhat to Jonestown,” Whitman said. “They’ve all drunk the Kool-Aid. It just hasn’t killed them yet.” She was making comparisons and drawing parallels between the diabolical cult leader, Reverend Jim Jones and the ill-fated 900 odd followers who killed themselves in a mass suicide pact in 1978, drinking Kool-Aid laced with poison.
Jonestown was a community located in the hinterland of Guyana, with the expressed and guaranteed permission and cooperation of the PNC Party, fully authorized, approved and blessed by Burnham himself. It was kept as a secret from the Guyana’s public and a tribe of exclusive foreigners were allowed to prosper without the interference of the police, soldier, the law, the constitution or the administration of the PNC regime and government. They were given all sorts of tax concessions, allowed select preferences, enjoyed the unlimited luxury of imports, avoided many legal ramifications, ravaged in a freedom to explore, expound and cultivate at their leisure and pleasure, prospered without the interference from outside sources, domiciled in a village uncontrolled by the state, imbibed in questionable activities, indulged in concealed illegal activities, avoided and evaded many of the standard and legal requirements and remained protected by the power of Burnham. It was well known that no one can enter their armed premise without clearance from relevant authorities and the fellow Guyanese were prevented to tamper with queries about the nature of their business. Eventually, well publicized information revealed that a number of governmental officers enjoyed visitation rights to participate in extracurricular activities and were well dined, wined, feasted and fattened with bulging pockets.
Again, a similar situation is playing out where many foreign companies and parties are given preferential treatment over the Guyanese public and the man in the street is kept in the dark. Golden opportunities are being wasted on the infiltration of overseas inputs from get rich programmes, while, the local communities are being denied the rights and privileges of prosperous developments with the luxury of Guyana’s natural and resourceful potentials. The local content availability is a complete disaster and Guyanese are being privy to mere pittances only, wherein, the hog of the meat is bisected and dissected by the elite few who are capitalizing on Guyana’s inefficiencies and shortsightedness, generosity and greediness. Our treasures are being, plundered, polluted and raped in front of our eyes with the guidance and benediction of many opportunists, much to the detriment of Guyanese. In what year will the impoverished, the oppressed, the suppressed, the poor, the underprivileged, the handicapped, the less fortunate, the naïve and gullible ones, the uneducated and all those suffering be given a chance to taste the sweet from the soil? Which one of the C’s will really see eye to eye and eliminate the disadvantages? The PPP/C has the distinct advantage and temerity to accentuate a holistic approach in their humanitarian, probable and inclusive manifesto to champion this cause. Will this reality translate into equitable distribution of Guyanese pennies or US dollars in the pockets of those patiently and anxiously waiting and how soon? Don’t only grow the grass while the horse is starving.
Respectfully,
Jai Lall