No confidence – a lifetime later

Dec 27, 2020 Editorial

Kaieteur News – Two years after that fateful no-confidence motion (NCM), the Democratic Republic of Guyana is in full swing. In some ways, it is a different place, some for good and some that will prove to be costly. In other ways, it is too much of the old ways of old heads plotting new deceits.
The nation has a new government, hears of a new bridge, new roads, and countless new projects about plants to power civilization forward in Guyana.
It is of a nation on the move, though somehow it is of only a few specially chosen who are doing all the moving: cronies, the crooked, even political competitors. The establishment elite moves and monopolizes cascades of currency swirling. There is the heady atmosphere of bingeing. This one is from borrowing in the tens of billions. The aggregated hundreds of billions are not free; but they provide the opportunities for lavish self-help, which we have had before. In this Guyanese democracy, half tells itself it will be happy, while the other scrambles for any little something.
Dark clouds encroach on the prosperous pictures painted, which should warn. In the new Guyana, the independent media matters, which should be a good thing, as it collectively floats along on the twin crests of democracy and oil. Things are rather up and down and not as they should be, as it has become undeniable that the partisan has seeped into the media framework. The partisan takes different forms: the ideological (cash on the barrel and upfront, keep quiet); the racial (speak up for one’s own only, the rest on their own); the commercial (what is good for individual and class). The so-called free media refuses to tell the people the truths about what is happening with its largest bequest, this oil that belongs to the nation.
The grassroots class may think that it counts, that it is being represented. It fools itself, for this is the group that is trampled, tricked and used, and told how good things are, that it has never had it like this before. Call the grassroots whatever suits, its members are happy to be part of the trickledown action.
In Guyana today, truth is bartered, then repackaged and sold to the naïve and gullible. This is how the major corporate powers operate, which includes ExxonMobil, Guyana’s wily saving presence and partner.
The politicians were already bagged and tagged, securely trussed up by the silence in what was paid to them. Citizens are urged to pay attention, then decide if it is not silence that reigns supreme. The talkative PPP/C government and its leaders all suffer from a case of acute laryngitis. There is not even a croak coming forth on oil matters. This is what cash pays for, and the more millions in Uncle Sam dollars, the more profound the silence. It is a silence so national in sweep in this once loud and raucous democracy, that even the usually combative APNU coalition is a shadow of itself. Its leaders, too, swallow hard and seek to say something soothing, but not even a gurgle comes.
As it is studied more, it becomes evident that Guyanese live in a time of thunderous silence that misleads. Yes, there are isolated noises from a few dissenters, but the heavyweight voices and presences have slithered into snakelike silence where this country’s oil wealth is concerned. That costs good money, and there is none better than a power like Exxon to make good things happen, and sway the influential to sing not a thing. Those needing confirmation listen in vain for sharp voices railing against the enslaving presence and reach of Exxon. They are few to none of such voices. The legal eagles are bought out, just like political players. Gorging from the bottomless and generous trough will do that to the best and brightest, who sell themselves and country down the drain for the joys of being on the inside oil track. They could learn of the right way, the patriotic way, from people named Lynch, Quinn, and Chatterjee.
Post no confidence, this nation is poised on what could be really good. The trouble is that there are some really bad people leading the way downward.

Latest News

No confidence – a lifetime later

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

NSC, Office of the DPP to host Criminal Law and Sexual Offences Act...

Lucas Chung maintains strong standing at 2nd...

Farm Supplies Ltd. supports Bartica Regatta 2025

Legislation and Investment: Trinidad to Brazil,...

Three more matches billed for this weekend

CM Khan rules at 2025 National Blitz Chess...

Features/Columnists

“One Guyana” is no less a national slogan than “Green Guyana”

If Guyana’s President Ali is the “Zelensky of the Caribbean”, who is the Putin?

Partner v. investor

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

No confidence – a lifetime later

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]