Dear Editor,
There are many issues effecting this country, our beloved Guyana, and these issues seems unimportant because the nation seems to be brainwashed with the rewards of the oil as the ruler’s way of governing is forcing businesses to close or directly shutting down places and causing the unemployment rate to increase drastically and expense climbing in every house.
For quite a while now, the fuel price has been an issue because of the increase, causing minibus operators to strike because they know that an increase in fare would be an additional burden to the commuters, and instead of reaching to an agreement, they just ignore this issue as if it’s not important. One would have expected a reduction in spare parts, tires etc, just to level out the expense for a minibus owner but no! This nation will benefit from oil so, this burden is not important. Now without a doubt, the fares will increase and there’s noting commuters can do but pay the fare, where some have to use three different transportation to reach either work or home every day. Some good life!
In one of the newspapers, we’re seeing the Government signing tougher sanctions against the fishing industry which I am in somewhat agreement with and wonder why they had to wait until we got sanctioned and one industry is closing before acting and what plans they have for the pollution that occurs every time the kokers open. To date, garbage is still being dumped into the trenches throughout Guyana and is a tremendous threat to marine life, so are there any plans to combat that?
Guyana is indeed blessed with a tremendous amount of resources that once utilised, we could earn a decent reward, but with a Government whose eyes seems bigger than their vision, I am sure we cannot capitalise because only the oil seems important to them. From the time we were sanctioned or even before, we have dried shrimp and fish that on demand all over locally, especially in the interior and use it in many types of food that could have been marketed overseas.
There are many things that we have that the world don’t know about except when hearing about them from fellow Guyanese or tourists, that could make a tremendous impact and we could earn a lot if marketed but this Government’s vision seems limited and help from them seems fruitless. I guess you have to be established to get their attention.
The dried fish and shrimp business should be considered because many countries could use products like those, especially those that are prone to disaster. We have a lot of vegetables that could be canned also, instead we are not hearing any plans about that, instead we are importing canned vegetables even though the exact vegetables are grown here. While businesses are closing, this Government should have approached the management and explore the possibilities available instead; but, no, they don’t care because your action might be considered as a form of victimisation against them, even though, their way of governing is causing busineses to close. Such is the good life.
Sincerely,
Sahadeo Bates
