My father said one day they will kill this country

Aug 14, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
I am Trinidadian by birth but I have Canadian citizenship and Guyanese upbringing. I straddle the three countries. I have a small investment in Guyana inherited from my parents a long time ago. My siblings would never want that business to ever disappear because it keeps us as Guyanese. My parents would never want us to do away with that business and over the many decades, we have adhered to our parents’ wish.
They have long departed this world. I am the eldest and undertook to preserve our little inheritance in Guyana. My parents made their money in Guyana and they were forever grateful for that fact
We were all born in Trinidad but spent frequent times in Guyana that Guyana is part of our nationality. I live in Trinidad and Canada and visit Guyana regularly. I regard all three countries as my home but feel less comfortable in Guyana and I will tell you why.
When I was growing up and was ready to leave Trinidad to make my acquaintance with Guyana, my father’s advice to me was that Guyanese people are lovely people, it is a nice, big country but keep away from its politics. I have vivid memories of my father’s love with Guyana and his dislike for Guyana’s politics and its politicians. Many times I heard him say, “they are going to kill that country one day,” He was referring to the politicians.
Those words ring in my ears all the time. This is a friendly, nice, rich country but its politics is destroying it. It was not easy investing in Guyana. Over the past ten years. I have never encountered difficulties with expanding business interests as I have in Guyana. I can honestly say it is the opposite in Canada and Trinidad
As someone without any vested interest in politics, I was glad when a new government came into office. Maybe I expected more than the reality of Guyana can offer but I fear for Guyana the way my father did when I see what is going on. I have never written a letter to the press either in Canada or Trinidad or Guyana.
This is my first. It has been about a few months and a year of the new government and I cannot say I see better government coming. Mr. Nagamootoo has been a big disappointment to his people. If there was a Nagamootoo type in Trinidad or Canada, he would have been the object of ridicule all the time.
Like most business people, I follow the political trends as my father did. I read the Guyanese newspaper everyday; hardly missing out. I find Guyanese in Canada talk more about Guyanese politics than Guyanese in Trinidad.
I really don’t know why. In Canada, some Guyanese are talking about a third party. I think that is a topic in the letter pages right now. People are mentioning name like Freddie Kissoon and Nigel Hughes. I can see the need for a third party as the years go on because I don’t see any real break with the past.
I do like Freddie Kissoon. I don’t think any Guyanese in Canada and Trinidad that read the newspapers miss out on what he has to say. Mr. Kissoon informs the world what goes on in Guyana. For all my years in Guyana, I have never met him though I have seen him driving.
I have been told he does not socialize. That is very strange for a man who is a national icon. I would like to see Mr. Kissoon try his hand in politics. Guyana needs politicians that care about people especially the lower rung of the economic ladder.
Politics is not my forte at all but I do love and enjoy this country and would like to expand our business here. I believe the time has come for newer politicians to shape Guyana’s future. There was some hope with the AFC but I believe the AFC got lost in the wider politics of the PNC.
Let me say I am not a supporter of the PNC or PPP and my father was the same too. But Guyana, like Trinidad, needs new blood. We have it in Canada. Justin Trudeau is going to win the next two elections. For cricket fans, I am the third cousin of Rangy Nanan who recently passed away.
Lakeraj Tagore Ramnath

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