In the hierarchy of influence the AFC is a distant tenth

Aug 18, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
I was deeply amused by Sheila Holder’s statement about ACDA in the recent SN Sunday article, “Opposition admits voters disenchanted”.
Her statement about ACDA calling for a Government of National Unity and constitutional reform before any new elections was reported to be: “I don’t understand how intelligent people make such an unintelligent call,” she said. “How are you going to get a government that clearly demonstrated it has no interest in sharing power to share power while it is in power? It is an absurdity! And it exposes the laziness of those people to get off their posterior ends and to educate the people.”
Sheila Holder lacks the political, though leadership and moral capacity to speak about “intelligence and unintelligence”. First let me explain to her that ACDA has done more work in our communities than the AFC. And if she understands the dynamics of power she will quickly realise that ACDA has more influence in Guyana than the AFC and by her definition…….that is laziness. Witness the AFC’s intelligence. She does not yet realise that in the hierarchy of influence the AFC is a distant tenth. The PPP, PNC, Christian Church, Hindu Temples, Army, Police, Unions, ACDA and the Diaspora have more influence than the AFC and especially in the African Guyanese community. That speaks to the AFC’s intelligence in understanding influence and power. No amount of money or sixes for nines can change that.
But let’s ask some basic questions? Let’s judge intelligence or emotional and political ignorance.
Why would a Party’s first goal be to become the “new opposition”? This is equivalent to wanting to be second and not wanting to achieve change in Guyana? A contradiction to the name of the AFC who say they are change agents.
Why would anyone want to be the second largest group of unelected MPs in a pernicious racially divisive anti-human rights Westminster system in which they cannot change a single line in the budget? Perhaps to have a larger group of friends and supporters enjoy prestige, duty free and other benefits their supporters can’t have.
Why would any third party that proclaims change want to perpetuate the Westminster system by not trying to dislodge the PPP through a coalition but wants to wait for 2016 or 2025 to win a Westminster election to bring about change? This is equivalent to investing in a bigger Titanic.
Why wouldn’t a Party that wants change not agitate for a Government of National Unity that can move Guyana into the 21st century and prevent egregious human rights abuse steeped in a criminal economy and underdevelopment and wholesale poverty for most Guyanaese? Answer: because they are lazy an lack the emotional IQ to know Guyanese want change now and not in 2016 or 2025.
Back to her statement…”I don’t understand how intelligent people make such an unintelligent call….how are you going to get a government that clearly demonstrated it has no interest in sharing power to share power while it is in power? It is an absurdity”
Sheila, the answer is vey simple. By agitating and fighting for change. Not by wanting to be the three blind men on the Westminster Titanic.
Sheila’s argument illustrates quite clearly that the AFC likes the failed Westminster system and therefore will not fight to change it. This is why she states fighting for change is an absurdity.
Let the public judge who is more intelligent and who is more absurd.
Finally, Sheila’s statement brings to mind the story of the cock-eyed man and the blind man (bless his soul) who run into each other one evening. The cock-eyed man shouted to the blind man: ‘why don’t you look where you are going”. To which the blind man quickly and effortlessly responded “why don’t you go where you are looking”.
The AFC is conning Guyanese people and especially African Guyanese that they are different from the PPP and PNCR and the WPA (who one of their supporters (Sase Senarine” claims is a concubine of the PNCR) when they are simply a cock-eyed Party not going where it is looking or looking where it is going.
Sheila, pick your fight with those who you can defeat…it is a mark of intelligence.
Eric Phillips

A slap in the face of the broadcasting fraternity

Dear Editor,
I have a few questions for the Guyana Government, the NFMU and the proprietors of the state television station NCN.
Firstly, how can Mr. Goolsarran say that Channel 21 has always been in existence in Berbice? Well, for most part, he is right. Channel 21 used to relay NCN’s GT feed since its establishment in Berbice. However, a few weeks ago, a notice appeared on NCN here in Berbice informing viewers on the Corentyne that they would now access what was seen on Channel 21 on Channel 25. This move was necessary, I believe, to ‘free up’ Channel 21, so as to do what the Berbice operators of NCN are doing right now with the so-called “Berbice Community Television Station”.
So, his comments are very misleading and covert. Why didn’t the CEO respond to the issue? His comments, too, are intended to confuse the nation about Channel 21. Berbicians can verify that Channel 21 was just used in the past to relay NCN GT feeds, but today it has become a whole new channel with separate programmes from NCN Georgetown, movies and advertisements. It has also started to air GINA programmes.
Mr. Sharma, I fully support your view and disenfranchisement. I hope the other political parties speak out on this issue. Where is the AFC when all of this is happening in Berbice? The government has betrayed the nation by opening up a new channel which many are saying is a personal venture between unnamed individuals.
Next question, when and where was a licence given and signed to NCN to open up a new channel? Were Guyanese informed of this? Where do the Courts stand on this matter? I hope the judiciary is looking on, and that something unlawful, too, may have taken place.
You know how I see all of this? This is all a carefully planned plot, meticulously executed, on the state’s behalf to Berbicians and Guyanese in general. They own so many frequencies, 21, 25, 15, etc now that they can confuse the media and general public with information about the new propaganda channel 21.
I have hope that the print media will pursue this story to the best of their ability, and even try to solicit the remarks of the coordinator of NCN Berbice operations, that should be extremely interesting.
The bottom line is that a new television station has appeared in the region over the past few days, under the cloak of the NCN state media, with affiliations to the state media, and under the management of the state media. Also, no one knew about this new channel, except the co- conspirators themselves, who carefully crafted this scheme to make a mockery and laughing stock of all other TV station applicants who have applied for services to the ancient county. This is a slap in the face to all Guyanese and indeed to the broadcasting fraternity here.
James Marakhan

GMC explains scarcity of local products in Toronto

Dear Editor,
I refer to a letter captioned, “Guyanese product in Toronto” published, in Monday August 16, 2010, edition of Kaieteur News.
A range of fresh and processed products are exported to Canada weekly. These products can be sourced from various Guyanese and West Indian stores in Toronto, such as Jas Foods in Brampton, Charlie’s (Mississauga and Scarborough, Homeland in Rexdale, Greens West Indian Store in Etobicoke) to name a few. So far for this year Guyana has exported 445 tonnes of produce to Canada
It must be noted that the flights that take produce to Canada are passenger flights with limited cargo capacity. In fact during the peak season
exporters have to use different routes such as Georgetown-Barbados-London-Toronto, to get produce to Canada.
Sometimes shipments after being shipped from Guyana are de-planed in Trinidad & Tobago and sent days after, by which time, because of poor storage in Trinidad, the produce has spoilt. Sometimes, as little as 300 kgs of cargo space is made available to an individual exporter, and this is not economical for the exporter to ship.
Quite a few businesses have explored the opportunity of operating all-cargo flights between Guyana and Canada, but the challenge has been the south-bound cargo (cargo from Canada to Guyana) that can be imported by air.
With respect to produce and products being labeled as Guyanese when it is not from Guyana, we know of at least one company that has been openly doing this unethical act. What Mr. Lakan can do is to demand of companies or the place where he makes his purchases to source produce from Guyana.
Finally, Mr. Editor, whilst we appreciate M Lakan’s wish to taste Guyanese produce and products in Canada, he must know that exporting/importing is a business and it has to make economic sense before anyone will be involved.
Nizam Hassan. General Manager, Guyana Marketing Corporation