Gov’t further dipping into the NRF is a reckless and irresponsible move
So our government has gone back to Parliament without consultation and can now dip further into the Natural Resource Fund (NRF), a reckless and irresponsible move. The Government has given a spurious reason for not giving increased wages and salaries to government employees. Reckless, irresponsible and callous. Our government continues to ignore the characteristics and requirements of a decent democratic government by ignoring the trade unions representing Government workers: the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Guyana Teachers Union. (GTU), Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU). Reckless, irresponsible and callous.
The Government truly believes that the misinformation and propaganda delivered daily in the media they control will fool all of the people all of the time. Reckless, irresponsible and callous. The PPP top brass feel by assailing the two independent media, Kaieteur News and Stabroek News, that they will succeed to silence all voices of reason and patriotism. Reckless, irresponsible and callous. The Government seemed convinced that they are on the road to glory by suffocating and frustrating all of the local and municipal authorities that they cannot control and manipulate. Reckless, irresponsible and callous.
In response to the failure to complete the Bamia Primary School as promised, the environment of how the contractors were selected and the cost is of course another matter. In circumstances where mystery surrounds the identification and selection of the contractor, and residents have already expressed concerns about the quality of work, the Government last weekend announced that the school building will be completed by April 1, 2024. Editor, ignore the likelihood of corruption and a spending spree. Hats off to the Government for a sense of humour. April 1 is All Fools Day and I ask the independent media and residents in the contiguous area to visit the Bamia Primary School on All Fools Day.
A complete school building must assume that all plumbing, electrical works and classrooms rooms with proper ventilation are satisfactorily completed and ready for occupancy on April 2, 2024. That there are no twisted walls as a result of poor workmanship and boards that are already shrinking and that there is water and electricity to make a building functional. I am not a gambling man, but Editor, are you prepared to take a bet that on All Fools Day that school would not be satisfactorily completed? Let me emphasise the word satisfactorily. The above suggest we are on the rocky road of a dictatorship.
We are in a silly season by a Government with a whole bag full of money to do what and how they care. Today I remember these words from the treasured writings of Kahlil Gibran “Pity the nation that raises not its voice save when it walks in a funeral, boasts not, except among its ruins and will rebel not save when its neck is laid between the sword and the block. Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler and whose art is the art of patching and mimicking.”
Sincerely, Hamilton Green Elder