From handshake to bear hug to stranglehold

Sep 25, 2020 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

I am delighted that American Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Ms. Sarah Ann Lynch, has graced the media with her distinguished presence and mellifluous words. While I recognize them for what they are, and welcome them, I caution Her Excellency, not to underestimate the understanding of Guyanese and the nature of their relationship with America.
For starters, the relationship is certainly renewed, expanded, and expanding. I welcome because, though rapaciously bottom line driven, American business interests are definitely preferred to the Russians and Chinese, whose practices leave much in the red. Or worse, in the dark. As rough and exploitative as they are, if I must settle for one of the three leviathans, then it is America, hands down. I say it is the lesser of three fearsome evils. Even though its commercial people who usually find clever ways to elude provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and conduct business with locals improperly, I am more comfortable with them across the table. Also, their practices, books, and norms are more open and scrutinized; they do make a go of complying with some rules and regulations, and do not make up laws suiting themselves as they go along. Regarding the other two, the Iron Curtain is still very much an impregnable reality.
But as I sifted through Ambassador Lynch’s words, there are some things, which I go to great pains to let her know that they are fully within the comprehension of Guyanese, who pay attention to her. Yes, Ms. Lynch has attained that rare elevation, where she is subject, a la Alan Greenspan of old, to what I would term Lynch Watch. It is where her every word and posture are probed and analyzed like the entrails of exotic animals to determine what truths they hold, be such prophesies or allusions of what comes down.
I read where she said that the stopover of Mr. Pompeo should not be construed as “just a one-time visit” because the cards hold “many engagements…by high-ranking U.S. government officials as well as private sector businesses.” They will all beat a path to this hospitable Arcadian Grove called Guyana. I did not foresee how it could be otherwise, and I thank Ambassador Lynch for her transparent delivery of upfront information, so that there are neither raised eyebrows nor suspicions, given the veritable American Invasion coming. I hasten to add invasion of Guyana, and nowhere else (in the short term). But with that said, the covert people (U.S government officials) will have to be most careful.
What the good Ambassador did not have to say was that now that Mr. Pompeo has laid the cornerstone of how this relationship must be, how it is going to go forward, with the troops (there I go again) of commercial and official people are saddled with sweating the details and delivering the goods. In other words, the immovable line unilaterally declared, not negotiated, by Mr. Pompeo represented the firmest of sticky two-handed grasps, which will now draw Guyana and its leaders into a tighter bear hug to the point of suffocation. I hope that the locals do not lose their heads in the process, since their oxygen supply is now rationed.
On the ground, I envision some visits providing cover for a few specially handpicked men to put ears and boots to ground and get a better lay of the land. I suggest closer to the border to scout out potentially attractive mineral prospects. That is as good a cover story as any, given the real objectives. If this spirals to the scale that I anticipate, I may have to dust off my gloves and pinstripes and get back into the game for a little capitalist action. Remember: I know how Americans think and operate. Been there and done that, which is something I cannot say for the natives, all the way to the head.
As I consider all this, a few things gain the solidity of firm traction. Guyana is on the way to becoming the de facto 51st state. And in 3-5 years, if things continue at this rate, locals will be a minority in this country. Our destiny is not our own to chart anymore. For all the wrongs that former head-of-state David Granger presided over this year, elections bartering was not one. He paid a harsh political price, compliments of the Americans. Now the Ali-Jagdeo tag team, fully committed to a Faustian bargain, harvest their suspect fruits, which render both political prisoners in their respective presidential palaces.

Sincerely,
GHK Lall

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