What is the big fuss about Jagdeo visiting Buxton?

Aug 25, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The President is entitled to visit any and every community in this country.
It is no surprise that David Hinds of the WPA and critics of his ilk have found another opportunity to criticise, this time, the recent visit to Buxton by President Jagdeo.
The President is entitled to visit any and every community in this country, but the demanding nature of his job makes it either impossible or difficult for the President to visit every community at the same time. But outside of the President, his ministers who are an extension of the Government would visit communities which the President might have been unable to visit for one reason or another.
What is the big fuss about Jagdeo visiting Buxton, other than it was for the first time in his capacity as President which makes it historic. There are still many communities the President has never visited as well. His visit to Buxton saw him receiving a warm welcome by Buxtonians without a single negativity throughout the meeting from the participants. Trust David Hinds and his string of critics to inject their negative spin on the visit.   It was the same David Hinds who said before that there should be a reconciliatory approach by Government to Buxton and it is this exact approach that is causing such consternation among the opposition.
It is those in the opposition who would like the people of Buxton remain poor and depressed for their own political advantage and they are now vexed because Jagdeo is slowly breaking down their launching pile.
David Hinds would want you to believe that Buxton is the only village with developmental challenges. What about Black Bush and other areas, in some cases, PPP strongholds that are starved for developmental resources. There are other communities that have similar challenges as Buxton. Long live the organisers of the meeting between President Jagdeo and Buxtonians. Long live Buxton as a community moving forward.
Todd Morgan

David Hinds’ ‘banana republic’ mentality is disgusting

Dear Editor,
I remember my days growing up in Buxton, particularly in 1992, it was in a very bad state. The roads were so bad that if you were traveling in a car the bottom felt as though it was falling out. The buildings were in a very poor state and there were many folks selling cigarettes and sweets in trays on the road side. A friend once jokingly described the sellers as budding entrepreneurs. There was no worthwhile economic activity and evidence of a very poor quality of life for these residents. And this was all before the 1992 elections.
The PNC and other leadership failed Buxton terribly. There was not a single factory or any private enterprise creating employment for the villagers. They all depended on the state for employment and the PNC for political patronage.
Afro-hegemonic leaders in the PNC, WPA and individuals like David Hinds are hurting Buxton and other Afro- populated communities by advocating against their integration. They want to maintain them as their constituency and as such promote race-based politics as opposed to community politics. Buxtonians must leverage their votes for economic prosperity and not for blind racial reasons.
Leaders must promote the welfare of a geographical constituency and not a racial group. This is 2010 and an Afro-American is the President of the United States of America. He did not become President by pandering to the black vote. He persuaded Americans of every race to vote for him. David Hinds, you disgust me with your banana republic mentality.
Attiya Baksh

People do not care for the public immature squabbles of the PNCR

Dear Editor,
Reference is made to Shawn Haynes’ letter, “What has the PNCR been doing to showcase its ability to govern?” (Kaieteur News, 24/8/2010).
Even as Haynes expresses his amazement “at members/supporters of the PNCR advising other members/supporters to use the various forums in the Party to air their concerns, while they use this medium to criticise others” he could not resist the urge to do likewise.
People do not care for the public immature squabbles of the PNCR and are trying to tell that to those who glorify in this attitude. It does not deliver them out of their misery and suffering. A party that can credit itself of having men of intellectual steel within recent years has seen some in their bid  ignoring this quality and adopting the attitude of boys throwing tantrums because they didn’t win the game, even though they got into the game aware of the rules.
This attitude that passes for politically maturity is very disgusting and demonstrates that seething beneath the surface of some grown men are ill-mannered boys possessing poor social skills who will destroy when they don’t get their way. They conveniently forget the wise saying that “you are part of the problem or part of the solution.”
The answer is always ‘it isn’t me,’ hastily pointing out the accusing finger, ignoring the three accusing fingers that point back. The less said of these childish rants the better.
In every organisation there are conflicts and the attending mechanism to resolve them. Those who ignore this mechanism when aware of it would raise concerns as to their commitment to the success of the organisation.
Right and wrong have no demarcation and good and evil deeds are accommodated blurring the lines of decency, eroding moral and social values and becoming functional as a political tool.
In the meanwhile the PPP continues to run roughshod over people and executive lawlessness has become entrenched in the highest offices of the land.
Like Haynes everyone knows what the PPP is doing and wants to hear what the opposition plans to do. Instead this is being hindered by those who seem bent on directing the focus away from the PPP either out of personal gain or indirectly distracting attention away. This raises eyebrows about the uniqueness of this election so far since it does not appear to be following the normal campaign model of behaviour that targets the incumbent and instead the contenders all seem to be willing to give the PPP an opportunity for re-election, being more preoccupied on fighting among themselves over every conceivable reason.
People want to hear news that there is hope in the dawn of a new day and the opposition are working together to make it possible. Voters want to see an end to the brawls that pass for conflict management and an end to the opposition campaigning against themselves. The target is the PPP, if only all the opposition can get that. If only men can remember 1 Corinthians 13:11: “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things.”
Gary Drakes

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