Sussex Street drug bond visit?

Dear Editor,
It was an interesting turn of events last Thursday (December 8) in the National Assembly when the bond issue surfaced again. I would like to share a few thoughts.
I commend Anil Nandlall for boldly speaking about this matter and I commend all his colleagues who have been standing bravely and strongly in a Parliament that is stacked against them.
The Speaker, in my view, has turned out to be very disappointing and perhaps for the first time in history, we the citizens are witnessing a Speaker that is wearing his political cap openly in a position that requires him to have utmost fairness because he serves the interest of the entire country and not his political party.
There is still time for the Speaker to redeem himself.  Guyanese are observing his actions. He now has a chance to show Guyanese he is fair and not partial and predisposed to his political party.
Nandlall has dealt with the bond issue boldly and Guyanese can see that the APNU/AFC, through its Health Minister, Dr Norton, has misled this nation on the matter. Now we all saw that Nandlall was absolutely correct. Not even one tablet, let alone a box of tablets of any kind, not even one, was stored there. Not one was found.
The nation is appalled that the taxpayers’ monies are used so prodigally to store condoms, among other things, at a price that is outrageously, foolishly high. This is what our taxes have gone to?
I heard the tape of Nandlall’s presentation as it was replayed in the Parliament and it was very clear to all to hear that he spoke about the storage of medication, in his citation of one tablet. Furthermore, we saw the evidence – hard, undeniable, indisputable evidence – that Nandlall was absolutely correct. The nation is shocked at this brazen dishonesty and deception by the APNU/AFC Government and Dr Norton.
And what is even more troubling is their move to now blame Nandlall. Why? He spoke the truth.
I sincerely hope that the Speaker is seeing through what APNU/AFC is doing to this nation, how they are lying to the parliament, and what they are now trying to do to get out of the hot water they have found themselves. Let us hope that the Speaker understands that he will be judged by history, God and the citizenry for any unfairness in light of the evidence.
We will await and see.
Finally, I understand that the PPP MPs who visited the bond, that is Irfaan Ali and Bishop Juan Edghil, were threatened by a group of people who assembled at the bond when the MPs visited. The questions I ask myself are: how did this group of people know that the MPs were visiting the site? How did they know the precise time the MPs were there? This was an impromptu visit ordered by the Speaker in the Parliament. How could such commoners, so far away from the activities of the Parliament, possibly know that MPs were visiting the bond?
Who alerted and had them mobilised on the site to threaten the PPP MPs?  Isn’t the answer within the questions?
Ali raised his concern for their safety in the Parliament, so why didn’t Volda Lawrence show concern for her fellow MPs and tell the Parliament this part, but conveniently left it out?
The answers should alert us to what kinds of people we are dealing with. And should also alert us that something sinister is going on with this bond deal and the APNU/AFC is doing all it can to hide it. This, they are doing by trying to turn the tables on the PPP MPs, as they are attempting to do with Nandlall, and by threatening them, as they did to Ali and Edghill.

Yours faithfully,
Daren Jaipaul