Arrogance that pervades political administrative power (Pt 2)

Dear Editor,
It is crass nonsense to link the expressing of my opinion in the media on matters such as my rejection of the Production Sharing Agreement between Esso et al & the Government of Guyana; the overt support of this administration for an unconscionable contract and the covert and discretionary silence of the Opposition and the Private Sector at it relates to seeking remedies against Esso & its minority partners; my view that the forensic audits have, to a significant degree, been used as a tool of persecution, and my pronouncements that the destruction of the sugar industry is based on partisan politics and racism akin to the invasion of Red House; and the denial and subsequent neophytic excitement and spitefulness that the now expired Gaming Authority leadership displayed during their term in office, in their palavering and prating over the second application for a Casino licence by Sleep-In International Hotel and Casino. Hopefully, better sense prevails from the New Board.
Also, allow me a little more of your high value space to reference my public pronouncements in the media re: 1) That President Granger had the authority vested in him by the inherent weaknesses in the Constitution to appoint a Chairman of GEOCOM, once he rejected the first list by finding any individual on the list unfit or improper, or both. 2) My support of Minister Harmon when I felt the President acted without temperance to axe Mr. Tiwari as Business Advisor to Minister Harmon. 3) Personal funding though the Guyana Basketball Federation to resurface Burnham Court at a cost of more than $10 million, and arranging the best image we have in Guyana of our first Executive President on a 25X10-foot billboard in all his charismatic splendour. Many Guyanese have been going to Parade Ground/Burnham Court to take photos under his image and such like. 4) My writings on the AFC overreach for power within the coalition was also written about in the media. Look no further than their efforts to undermine Minister Harmon — a spectacular failure, as is even more evident now. 5) The obsequious behaviour of the WPA, though not as extreme now, still exists to this day.
Guyana is the richest nation in the world per capita in terms of natural resources. We have 83,000 square miles to develop, yet we squander our time on the rights and wrongs of using a few acres of formerly pasture land in Pradoville, or building a magnificent hotel in Kingston on then unused land. The Marriott now stands as a flagship hotel in Guyana, and I have not seen a better Marriott in Suriname, Barbados, Jamaica or Trinidad. That our Marriott is often used by investors and potential investors in Guyana is an understatement.
The Corporate Community has been supportive of sports in Guyana, but the culture and systems are not in place for organized funding. The level of funding required for sports in schools, clubs and at the national level is just not sufficient from the corporate community, even while we acknowledge that some in the business community are supportive. Most of the funding must come from Government, and budgetary provisions for such funding have to be increased tenfold at a minimum, to avoid this malaise from continually degrading our youth and sport.
We have a Lotto Fund that is used in a most mysterious, curious, and arbitrary fashion. Though money in the Lotto Fund is supposed to be used for community development and sports, this is the exception, rather than the norm. The hundreds of millions that pass through the Guyana Lotto Fund can well allow for significant allocations to our lead sports federations and associations, as is done in Barbados and other countries.
I recall — as if it happened yesterday — when we were informed by our National Coach, Mr. Hewley Henry, at St. Stanislaus Basketball Court, that President Forbes Burnham had died; the date was August 6, 1985. The coach asked that we stop the training session and have a minute’s silence in a show of respect on the passing of our President. Hewley Henry was a staunch WPA supporter at the time, but his show of cohesion and solidarity, which involved all the players in the silent prayer, still motivates.
“The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away.” Marcus Aurelius.

Sincerely,
Nigel Hinds