Dear Editor,
It was reported in the Tribune, a Bahamian newspaper, on March 2, 2017 that President David Granger and his select cohort arrived in The Bahamas for a three-day State visit by private plane. Thinking that there was an error with the report, since there was no possible justifiable reason to use a private plane instead of a commercial flight (whether first class or otherwise), my further investigation revealed that not only was this report of the use of a private plane accurate, but it was further evidence of insensitive profligacy and waste of taxpayers’ money by President Granger.
The investigation revealed that not only three Ministers, one of whom is his son-in-law (Mr Gaskin, the Minister of Business), but a team of speech writers, bodyguards, assistants, and media personnel accompanied President Granger on this private plane and for whom daily stipends and accommodation had to be provided at the hotel, the rates of which are about US0 per night. In addition, a number of gifts were purchased and presented to the Bahamian Government all bought and paid for with taxpayers money. The total spent on this three-day trip was about G million. The cost of the private plane alone was about G million. 
Two questions ought to have been asked by the media which holds the significant responsibility of being the fourth estate on behalf of the people of Guyana: 1) How could President Granger justify the use of a private plane instead of a commercial flight? 2) What investment did the three-day State visit garner for Guyana?
Of course, the media can be partially forgiven since President Granger assiduously avoids answering questions by dodging and not holding press conferences. But most sections of the media are also complicit by neglecting to ask President Granger the hard questions when the impromptu opportunity arises, quietly hoping instead to receive the perks of free travel with the Head of State or his Ministers, while Guyana continues along a path of visionless high-tax submersion and wasteful spending.
With admittedly dwindling investment and a reduction in all of the productive sectors except for gold, it is now obvious why there has been this urgency to increase taxes and an emphasis on increased tax collection – the “good life for the government”. This, ironically, on the authority of a president who has collected over $50 million in salary since his assumption of office as President but pays not a single penny of tax on his income.
Guyanese are feeling the squeeze more than ever and struggling to make ends meet while our President displays his manifest insensitivity to our circumstances in grandiose style by driving around in Lexuses with large entourages and security detail and travel internationally by private planes. If the Bahamian newspaper did not publish the use of the private plane by President Granger, it certainly makes one question how would Guyanese ever have known about it or worse what else do we not know?
When times are hard, we expect our leaders to be sensitive to our struggles and not flaunt the “great life” in our faces. The famous Guyanese saying “he who feels it knows it” and with the “great life” the Government now enjoys it raises the question whether decisions can be made in the best interest of the Guyanese people, who need the support of a government who “knows it”. Leadership begins with responsibility, but lasting change happens by example.
Sincerely,
Charles S Ramson
