Home Letters PNC was the worst thing that ever happened to Guyana
Dear Editor,
The PNC/PNCR/APNU is the worst thing that ever happened to Guyana. Some members within that party may lodge an objection to the above statement, deeming it too harsh, but after examining the facts carefully, even the diehards are forced to admit that every word of that evaluation rings true.
I have already dealt with one crucial area, that is power generation. However, today I shall draw our attention to another of the retrograde moves that have pushed this country backwards. I make mention of our international airport and Government’s plans to modernise and properly equip that entity to meet international standards.
The plans for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri were conceptualised and put in place by the Jagdeo administration. The contracting firm to build the airport was China Harbour Engineering Company. The Ramotar Government that succeeded was committed to carrying out the project, but unfortunately couldn’t get anything done due to the PNC-led coalition voting it down for the flimsiest of reasons.
The Coalition using its one-seat majority to so callously stop a project speaks volumes of its non-commitment to the wellbeing of the Guyanese people. Theirs was a myopic and visionless view of what constitutes Government’s obligation to the development of society. Sadly, that was, and still is, a fundamental void within that party.
Now, when it got into power, it suddenly had a change of heart, after viewing the prospects of a developing country having a modern international airport, so it backpedalled and renegotiated with the Chinese. The new contract saw a scaling down of the plan for the airport from eight (8) air bridges to four, among other drastic changes. All of this taking place with a revised upward cost to the changes made. The sum total of it all is that most of the airport project was never completed, which meant that the incoming PPP/C Administration had to make the necessary changes to bring our main international airport up to standard.
The point that is of great importance here is when elected Governments fail to stand up to legally binding international contracts, it inherently lowers your rating in the eyes of the contracting agencies, or any investor for that matter. When you can so flip-flop with projects like that, your country as a whole is seen in a bad light.
Thankfully, the Chinese accommodated us and made the required changes that we can now boast of today. The failure to fulfil the contract of our airport marks another key point why, we the people, ought to be ever careful when choosing our government. We cannot place people who have no vision for our country, or put our country in the hands of those who know not where we should be in the next decade.
With this in mind, the next general election would be the defining moment when Guyanese would definitively make the decision as to who governs them.
Respectfully,
Neil Adams