…or spite on rice?
If this Eyewitness were to pick an example of the APNU/AFC’s total ineptitude in matters economic, he couldn’t do better than the “Case of the Rice Cereal Factory”. In the waning days of the last PPP/C administration, even as the Opposition were baying for their blood with their “No Confidence Motion”, they were moving to diversify and add value to rice.
That’s what governments are supposed to do – even as then, rice was pulling in record prices from the Venezuelan “rice-for-oil” deal. In this hyper-speed globalised world, governments can’t rest on their laurels – other countries are always lurking to steal a piece of their action. We now know Suriname was lurking.
But as far back as GuyExpo 2014, the PPP/C government announced they were collaborating with IAST to launch a line of Rice Cereal – “Morning Glory”. By April of 2015, sod had been turned, building constructed and all that was left was for the machinery to be sourced in China and brought to Essequibo where the factory was located.
Even the location showed an appreciation for the challenges confronting the economy: Essequibo has the least diversified economy of the three counties and depends almost solely on rice. The factory would’ve provided much needed jobs for young Essequibians. But sadly, the Opposition’s hardball politics stopped the PPP/C government cold in its tracks from completing the project as they were ousted by that same Opposition.
And this is where their ineptitude manifested itself – in spades. Not they allowed Suriname to steal the Venezuelan market unopposed: they turned their back on the Rice Cereal Factory and blithely walked away. In what can only be most kindly described as a comedy of errors, an opportunity to turn 1/4 pound of rice we sell for $100 into cereal that fetched $700, was thrown away!!
Turns out the land the factory was actually built on was owned by GPL. But even though the latter doesn’t use the land, nobody in the new government got the bureaucracy to transfer the land. A squatter lives in the compound, but no one in the new government got the bureaucracy to relocate the squatter as the PPP/C had promised.
And no one in the government would authorise the money for the equipment to manufacture and package the cereal. And so it ended up in the hands of the only fella who appears to get things done in the new government – Joseph Harmon. But if he act, he’ll be drawn and quartered.
One may be forgiven for thinking it’s not a “comedy of errors” but enemy action against rice?
…on lawyers?
The head of the Bar Association won’t be putting up himself for re-election. He bemoaned the unwillingness of lawyers to join in the effort to improve the image of the profession. Could it be lawyers themselves feel it’s a lost cause? The bad rap on lawyers didn’t just begin yesterday, As far back as 1728 John Gay wrote the “Beggar’s Opera” that has been phenomenally successful in the last three centuries. The following lines of the satire still provoke the most laughter:
“A fox may steal your hens, Sir,
A whore your health and pence, Sir,
Your daughter rob your chest, Sir,
Your wife may steal your rest, Sir,
A thief your goods and plate.
But this is all but picking,
With rest, pence, chest and chicken;
It ever was decreed, Sir,
If lawyer’s hand is fee’d, Sir,
He steals your whole estate.”
In modern times even the existentialist Jean Paul Sartre was moved to observe: “A Lawyer and a wagon wheel must be well greased.”
…on consultants
One, A Thomas, Senior Communications Officer for GuySuCo, didn’t deny Ramotar’s claim they’ve hired an 85-year-old Human Resources consultant. Just that GuySuCo needs the experience.
Or is it he’s being rewarded for his prolix letters to the press supporting the government?
