The President was forthright and direct

Dear Editor,
Great attention was attracted to His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s garb during his address to the large Saudi Arabian business delegation at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. It is no secret that the Head of State, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, is a Muslim, and that was evident before he took the oath of the Presidency.
As a matter of fact, His Excellency Dr. Ali’s support mostly comes from the other religious class structures across Guyana, so what is this big fuss?
Saturday, July 9, 2022 was the day of Eid-Ul-Adha – one of the most significant religious holidays in the Islamic calendar. I have seen many other Presidents, diplomats and important personalities in our society dressed in a manner depicting the religious or cultural heritage and observance of the numerous holidays, and no attention was given to them.
I can recall vividly that my late headmaster Van Rossom, one of the most important persons in my life, used to wear his kurta and dhoti, and was integrally involved in the rituals and festivities with his Hindu, Christian, and Muslim brothers and sisters, and he was most welcome to do so.
Today, we tend to look at things in a different manner, and make pronouncements without understanding the potential harm and cultural divide those pronouncements can create in this beautiful multi-cultural society of ours.
The spirit and significance of Eid-Ul-Adha was felt around the world. In Guyana, the Muslims delivered portions of beef and mutton to over one hundred thousand families countrywide, irrespective of ethnicity, creed or political persuasion. Isn’t this an amazing act of compassion and goodness?
I was present when His Excellency delivered his speech to the Saudi Minister and visiting business delegation. The President did not mince words, but was forthright and direct. His Excellency understands the culture and how the Saudi nationals operate, hence he challenged them to establish an office locally to facilitate the smooth flow for prospective trading activities. My take on most of the opinions expressed in the media was of a vexed political nature.
Editor, in the past I did business with the Saudis, and I can say with assurance that they will not come to Guyana to do any form of long-term investment. The Saudi-Arabs want to get maximum profits in the shortest possible time with minimum investment.
Unlike Guyanese businessmen, they are not prepared to wait ten years or longer for a return on investment.

Yours truly,
Nazar Mohamed
Businessman