Dear Editor,
GECOM is always functioning, and should always have mechanisms in place to hold elections at any given time, given our relatively small population.
In other countries with larger populations, elections are held in a small time frame, and I am wondering if money is being spent on GEOCOM under false pretence, or the body is naturally incompetent.
Immediately after the results of the no-confidence motion, GEOCOM should have already changed its gear into election mode and await orders. Instead, we see them sitting, awaiting all the running around the ruling Government is doing to prevent election, and I personally believe many within GEOCOM are undermining the process and siding with the Government to prevent election at the legally stipulated time.
Because of this action and the history of incidents during elections in Guyana, there will no doubt be disturbances should things not go the way they are supposed to go. I’ve said it before and will repeat: with a Government that has not fully settled into its position, the officials have seen the benefits that come with their jobs, and based on their actions, they are not prepared to give up power that easily.
Indeed, they seem more corrupt and selfish than the previous administration, and they are more obsessed with proving that they are better than the previous administration, but the fact of the matter is that they are looking more racial and incompetent; and whilst they are concentrating on that, their duties are being neglected, or mostly wrong decisions are being made.
Editor, no political party could win an election by itself, and many supporters invested heavily behind this present administration, only to be disappointed. Immediately after swearing in, most of the best positions were offered to personal friends and retirees. Some were even brought back from other countries to fill positions in front of those who had remained in Guyana.
Today, whilst their ability to perform is seriously lacking, money seems to be readily available for spending on them for expensive treatment overseas, as they attempt to cheat death. After elections, this present Government embarked on projects under the guise of development/helping communities, but their concentration seems to be focused mainly on one race, whilst at the same time they started to enrich themselves.
Their actions have caused tremendous damage to their reputation and that of the party as a whole. Within the party, their supporters feel neglected after seeing their actions, some have even turned their backs on them, including many who voted for them, as they got upset at their actions.
In many agencies, when conducting business or seeking help, you are given a royal push-around if you choose not to grease any hands. Some people cannot afford to do so, and out of utter frustration they would seek Government’s intervention or that of someone they know within the party. Interestingly, their pleas would be ignored, or they would again be pushed around or be bluntly refused help, whilst others who are closer to the rulers could be seen getting help.
In Campbellville, there’s a family well known for their support to the PNCR. After the elections, they sought audience with members of the Government to resolve an issue/issues they were having. After being pushed around, they made one visit to the Leader of the Opposition, and a phone call resolved their problems. Today the Opposition Leader is being given some of the best welcome into their area, and the Government is not welcome there.
Another strong party supporter spent the whole day at the Office of the President to get free overseas medical treatment for her mother, and her request didn’t stand a chance. Frustrated, she visited one former Minister of the PPPC, and with one phone call, her mother was on an aeroplane heading for her treatment.
I cite these two incidents because many know of them and many other supporters are being treated in the same way. It seems as if the PPPC are more effective than them in and out of office.
Finally Editor, after the elections, supporters and activists seem to be forgotten, and many either get pushed around or are being avoided. As a result, they seek audience elsewhere, and are given a much better welcome. Look at the gathering of the various political parties all over, and you will see that the PPPC have the most mixed races’ gathering to support them. Your will see now many Africans openly supporting the PPPC, and accusations about them being bought circulating, but the reality is that they are frustrated with what is taking place, and based on the facts/ evidence, by comparison, the PPPC are way better in managing Guyana.
As the election mode gets around, many stats/figures would be circulated to prove the PPPC competence, and many would just glance at the information, but they should not take it lightly. One of the main propaganda points circulating concerns the increase of the minimum wage. The Chinese are seemingly the biggest employers of labour (sales reps), and most of their employees’ salaries don’t exceed forty thousand dollars a month, while their hours of work are way more than the normal working hours.
Apart from the Chinese, many other places practise the same things, and with the influx of Venezuelans, advantage is blatantly being taken on employees. I know of Venezuelans being employed locally who daily have to start working from 7:00h; they take lunch at 14:00h and finish working at 18:00h, all for $2,500 per day. Their matters were reported to the authorities, but nothing seems to be arising from these matters.
Similarly, expired or defective food items are easily available throughout Guyana, but this incompetent administration cannot seem to come up with a tangible plan to combat this lawlessness, and daily they are boasting of performance.
If they are confident of their performance, let them call the election, don’t prolong it to put mechanisms in place for rigging.
Sincerely,
Sahadeo Bates
