…while darkness falls
There was a very revealing exposé of the mindset of this government illustrated by the actions of their chosen “friends and PNC members” who’ve been given employment. Your Eyewitness is talking about the Special Purpose Unit (SPU) created by the Government to oversee the selling off of the four shuttered sugar estates. It’s headed by one Colvin Heath-London, who not long after his appointment in March 2018 shared the podium with PNC executives at a conclave of the North American Chapter of the PNC! We don’t know whether he was a member of the PNC – but it was obvious he was a “friend”!!
Around the same time, the full-page advertisements were splashed in all the national dailies announcing that the same Head of the SPU– and friend of the PNC – was made Chairman of a new Board of Governors of GuySuCo!! Your Eyewitness thought it odd that the fella selling off the store would be running the rump. Evidently with an MBA, he had some theoretical experience in business – but running sugar estates?? It’s always nice to have friends in high places!!
His “appointment” was quickly squashed after the public outcry – and the non-PNC Agriculture Minister – at the fella’s overreach! But that didn’t stop the PNC ‘friend” from enjoying his perch. Next we heard was when the SPU using GuySuCo’s assets as collateral floated a $30 billion bond – that’s US$150 million, folks!! – but decided to park it in the back earning .01% interest while forking out 4.7% interest payments!! Was this new finance?
A clue was provided when he used some of the money to redo the entire old-time “Manager’s Club” at LBI Estate – complete with tennis courts, swimming pool, bar and a dance hall!! What was this all about? Massa day come back? Evidently it had. Soon there were invitations for private soirees for the inside crowd – presumably “friends of members of the PNC”! But the folks at GuySuCo, who’d been put on a stringent budget after 7000 workers had been fired – didn’t take too kindly. They’re protesting.
The mindset exposed is one that is willing to not only live high off the hog at the people’s expense, but to rub it in the face of the most deprived – in the industry they’re supposed to be “saving”!! Hasn’t it crossed the minds of Heath-London and PNC friends that LBI/Enmore Estates – where they insist on “sporting” – just fired 1700 persons who are on the breadlines?
But that’s the PNC style, isn’t it? The old folks remember when “ice apple” and grapes were banned – along with flour and split peas (for dhal) – but were flown in for PNC big ones and friends!
The more things change…
…with “lef or write”
Your Eyewitness had a chuckle when he read about the Jamaican Police Commissioner working on a “Strategy to deal with ‘lef or write’”. In case you didn’t get his subject, he was talking about the proclivity of Jamaican Traffic Police, flagging down motorists for specious reasons, then demanding that they “lef’ something” or they’ll “write a ticket”!! “Lef’ or write”!!
Now your Eyewitness thinks his Guyanese counterpart should follow this strategy closely when it’s unveiled. Whatever might be the “shakedown” rate of motorists in Jamaica, it’s a hundred times worse here. Your Eyewitness spent some time in Jamaica – and he knows!! Why the disparity? Not that our Traffic Cops are greedier, but simply here, they have more opportunity because of our traffic regulations.
Where else in the world would they allow a cop to haul a motorist who overtook on a yellow line to the Police Station and have him sit on the bench with criminals for four hours?
So, here most motorists “lef’” not to be “left” on the bench!
…or making joke??
Someone suggested the Government should aim to present a “balanced Budget”. Are they kidding? How do you tell that to “PNC Ministers” who have to hire all their members and friends?
