Dear Editor,
Since the No-Confidence Motion was passed in the National Assembly in December of 2018, the real nature of the PNC leadership has been revealed in all its ugly nakedness. Here is demonstrated the selfishness, the corruption and the total disregard for laws by this cabal that captured our State and is conducting a mafia-style operation.
Some of us were from the early stages pointing out to the public the direction that the country was taking. It was not accidental but a plan set in place probably even before the PNC/AFC elite captured power.
The first act that gave an indication as to the cabal’s intention to perpetuate itself in power was in relation to the formation of the Cabinet. Why was it necessary to create a separate Ministry of Citizenship? Clearly from the inception the cabal’s plan to use that Ministry to rig elections. Its plans were upset by the No-Confidence Motion.
The way it conducted the affairs of the country also gave a clue to what they were planning. It was clear that they were not depending on the people to vote for them to stay in power.
How else do we explain the imposition of VAT on almost all the essential items that the PPP/Civic Administration had zero-rated? So, most of the essential food items were taxed, educational materials, medicines, electricity, water all were forced to pay VAT. It is apposite to point out when the PNC-led APNU/AFC were in the opposition, they said they would have reduced the VAT to 8 per cent. It took them two years to reduce it to 14 per cent and then they removed almost all the zero-rated items that allowed them to rake in even more money from the VAT.
In addition to that, the regime piled up scores of new taxes on the people that extracted some 80 billion dollars more than was ever collected by the PPP/C Government. All of that went to maintain the bureaucracy.
By its policies, it caused some thirty thousand persons to lose their jobs in all sectors, but mainly sugar and forestry. The destruction of sugar was criminal. The reason is twofold. One the one hand, racial politics, and on the other, greed.
The racial/political is clear, sugar workers were largely supporters of the PPP.
The criminal acts were taking the land for speculation, to enrich the tiny cabal that owns the Government. The group is made up of Government Ministries, some other senior Government personnel and some contractors.
The corrupt cabal in alliance with unscrupulous business people has raided the assets of our country.
I had pointed out very early that the PPP/C Government had taken a container of steel from Surendra Company which had defaulted on a contract to build the Specialty Hospital. That was handed to BK International just days after the regime assumed office.
The deals with the oil companies that have been universally criticised and need no further elaboration here. Recall the drug bond rented for $12 million a month which was just a house, the procurement of drugs violating tender procedures, the massive stripping of State assets, all suggest massive corruption, kickbacks and bribery reaching high up in the regime.
The picture became clearer when a new Chairperson for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had to be appointed. President Grander rejected the names of some of the finest Guyanese and unilaterally appointed James Patterson to the position. That led to the complete takeover of GECOM by the cabal.
It was pellucid that the PNC-led APNU was working towards the rigging of the 2020 elections.
It is extremely unfortunate too that several decisions and non-decisions of our courts suggest political bias or incompetence or both. When one examines some of these decisions one would be hard-pressed not to form an opinion that sections of the Judiciary are working hand in glove with the cabal.
I have not heard a single explanation of why the elections petition case of 2015 has never been fixed for hearing. I am aware of many cases that have been languishing in the courts for years and cannot be heard. I am also aware of one case that has been concluded years ago but no decision given to this date. I am sure that that case is not the only one in that limbo.
Compare that with the indecent haste with which cases brought by the APNU/AFC cabal are heard in our courts. Moreover, we get very questionable decisions.
All of this pales in the face of what occurred on March 4, 2020, during the counting of the votes of the March 2, 2020 General Elections and continuing to the present.
Why this resistance by the cabal?
It is to protect their ill-gotten gains in the first place and to be able to continue to rape the nation’s assets for this small corrupt cabal.
For this, the PNC elite doesn’t care how much damage they do to this country’s economy and its standing internationally. They are blinded by greed and power.
Clearly, this is no longer just routine politics. This is a group that has degenerated into a mafia-style organisation, hoping to seize power for their criminal enterprises.
They are failing because other political parties in the opposition and civil society have stood up to put an end to this fraud. In this process, the tremendous support from our region and the international community has been very important. For this, our people must be grateful.
We must stay on the democratic path; we must not allow our country to become a failed State run by mafia-style bosses.
Sincerely,
Donald Ramotar
Former President
