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EDITORIAL
SUNDAY CHRONICLE April 20, 2014
GUYANA
USA ENVOY AND ‘PROVOCATION’
IT WOULD have come as a quite disturbing disclosure this Easter weekend that the Ambassador of the United States of America to Guyana, Mr Brent Hardt, remains involved in pushing for implementation of a local “democracy” project here after being officially advised of the government’s decision to suspend its continuation pending further clarification to determine future modus operandi. Disclosure of this development came on Thursday at the media briefing conducted by Dr Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, who had just returned from sick leave. The veteran political thinker, a medical doctor by profession, has been serving in that position since the PPP‘s return to government in 1992, after nearly a quarter century of systematically rigged elections by the People’s National Congress. At the media briefing he deemed as “provocative” Ambassador Hardt’s collaboration in reactivating this suspended project-WITHOUT any prior engagement with
the Guyana Government. ‘Provocative’ is often used as a diplomatic euphemism instead of “telling it like it is” in Guyanese parlance. Mr. Hardt’s own otherwise impressive career in the US diplomatic service should have served to remind him that he was engaging in unnecessary “provocative” political behaviour. Hence, there is an alternative option now open for action by the Guyana Government while remaining committed to sustaining principled bilateral relations between Washington and Georgetown. For a start, President Barack Obama’s administration should be officially alerted to the shenanigans involving Ambassador Hardt in relation to the LEAD project that extends to partisan politicking with the Opposition parties---APNU and AFC. And relatedly, considering that the LEAD project has benefited from funding by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). It is on record that both the governments in Washington and Georgetown, initially had made clear their commitment
to the implementation of LEAD. However, it seems that Ambassador Hardt may have unintentionally become entangled with the political Opposition that resulted in manifestations of unhealthy, if not exactly, prejudicial political behaviour inimical to the original initiatives for the LEAD project. There is more to be said about LEAD and the partisan politicking by Ambassador Hardt. But for now we await the Government’s next move following Dr Luncheon’s statement about “provocative” behaviour involving the US Ambassador to this country. Also, to ascertain whether Ambassador Hardt intends to be in communication with the government in response to Dr Luncheon’s statement on “provocative” interference.
Hypocrisy in action I ALWAYS thought that DTV 8 in Berbice was impartial and has no qualms about airing clean programmes, however, on Saturday April 19, I received a rude awakening when I was told by the person in charge that she cannot air my programme since it is ‘political’ in nature! This is hypocrisy in action. Every Saturday night this same TV station is airing an AFC programme ‘Alliance on the Move’ which is loaded with lies, deceptive statements, misinformation and downright slanderous statements openly made against reputable and honest citizens. Only recently this TV station was the recipient of a law suit brought against it by Anamayah Memorial Hospital. On this programme, an AFC councillor made slanderous and inaccurate statements in relation to expired drugs. This TV station has allowed the hosts of the AFC programme to slander anyone they feel like, ad lib. If I am not mistaken there are some lawsuits pending against this station because of this same AFC programme. Therefore, I can only now conclude that this TV Station is unwilling to expose the lies sold to Berbicians and is unpatriotic to the core since my programme only seeks to expose and refute the lies and misinformation being peddled by the ‘Alliance on the Move’ programme and by the way this programme is not only slanderous but is highly
political in nature. So it is beyond my comprehension why my ‘political’ programme cannot be aired. My programme which is entitled ‘A Commentary by H. Yusuf’ contained direct rebuttals to that programme since although I have tried unsuccessfully many times to get into the programme. On the Alliance on the Move Programme aired on April 12, Ramayya barefacedly told sugar workers that he had staked his life for them. I pointed out that when sugar workers were facing numerous hardships under the PNC Government he, Ramayya was enjoying the luxuries of life in the USA. It was the PPP and GAWU who fought ceaselessly for the cause of sugar workers and no one else! He further lied that sugar workers did not know they were going to protest in anticipation of the $6 billion budget cut. Yet he later claimed in that same programme that ‘the sugar workers betrayed the AFC’. He then asked the sugar workers in Berbice what they will get from the $ 6 billion, if any of this will’ go into their pockets. I explained that the Honourable Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy gave a detailed explanation in Parliament about how that money will be spent so Ramayya should not deviously attempt to mislead Berbicians. He then played the race card and accused Indians that they voted for the PPP/C because they do not want ‘a black man’ to rule them. I rebutted this racist statement by pointing out that people who voted for the PPP/C did so simply because the PNC dictatorship completely and comprehensively bankrupted this country and it is not about Blacks and Indians!
He next propagated the abuse of alcohol by telling ‘cane cutters’ that the $10,000 given by the government to assist them to send their children to school ‘cannot buy a good drink for them in a rum shop.’ He then gave an example which pointed out the AFC’s true stance on the sugar industry. He told Berbicians that if a person has a business and it is not making a profit then that person should close down that business! I the rebutted this by explaining to him that if that business is vital for the survival of that person, then that person should do an evaluation as to why the business is making a loss and take corrective measures and that is exactly what the PPP/C Government, the Minister of Agriculture and the management of GuySuCo are doing! So sugar workers beware of the AFC’s ‘forked tongue’ Ramayya and his boys intend to close down the sugar industry whenever the opportunity presents itself. If the sugar workers had not protested then that cut would have been effected. Dr Ramsammy made this prognostic statement some time back. These are some of the rebuttals I made in my programme which was refused air time on DTV 8. Some people are really ‘wolves in sheep clothing’. DTV 8 has finally shown their true identity! HASEEF YUSUF AFC Councillor Region 6