Rent -a- citizen, rent-a-group, rent-a-government, rent-an-opposition, rent-a-leader

Nov 14, 2021 News, The GHK Lall Column

By GHK Lall

Kaieteur News – Instead of presenting what is encouraging or disturbing, I leave that to citizens today.
Two business leaders publicly shared their thoughts about being watchful for “rent-a-citizen” scenarios. It is where foreigners use Guyanese by making a show of them to gain a commercial foothold in this resource rich country, oil being the thickest icing. There are many ways to do this, as the Chamber man made clear. There are Guyanese working for foreign companies, so there should be no complaints. It is proof of local content involvement. The same could be said for Guyanese individuals and companies engaged for the provision of supporting services. And, of course, there are those partnerships with Guyanese forming a significant percentage, even a 51 percent majority, of business partnerships, and similar arrangements. Nobody could argue with what has all the hallmarks of material Guyanese presence. There is local content in neon lights and all capitalised.
Definitely, the numbers may speak for themselves, whether measured in bodies, dollars, or venture percentages. Nonetheless, the depth, substance, and reach of those same numbers and faces may leave a lot to be desired. Consider whether Guyanese are being used through convenient ‘set asides’ that fulfill the letter of whatever is required, and no more. In other words, the jobs could be sweepers and drivers and security officers, and those are all; the management ranks are otherwise, as with those from the outside. We could have a majority ownership stake, as registered and documented on every line, but there is neither power nor influence nor decision-making ability. To put matters in the sharpest light: Guyanese function as figureheads, cosmetics, show horses to trot out, and to make a performance for critical (or admiring) local audiences.
To bolster what I place in the public domain, the United States, as part of its Affirmative Action programmes, made specific allowances for minority hiring and minority partaking in the commercial prizes. The numbers were mostly observed, and that was it. The quantitative made for good official reporting, but it masked the lack of qualitative elements that made a mockery of the broader objectives of such affirmative action provisions. It is said, and with great accuracy, that the stricter the government, the wiser the population. That was in the mighty United States, with its think tanks and ACLU chapters and vigilant watchdogs. All I ask is for fellow citizens to think of what the man from the Chamber warned about, and what is written here today. My position, though nuanced, is not unclear. I let peers come to their own conclusions about what we have, and could have here, notwithstanding any robust Local Content Policy and Legislation finalised. We can be passive and accepting in our own country (content with how local content occurs, what it means for us); or, we can say to hell with this, because we are being used, and we are mad about it, and we will not take it anymore.
It is appropriate that I leverage that same “rent-a-citizen” reality and apply it in the areas of groups, and politicians, all Guyanese. Guyanese grow increasingly familiar with something called GuyAmCham (GACC), and its deepening hold on this society. It is of the established and budding local commercial sector being on the inside and a part of the lucrative action, largely oil-related, in association with American counterparts. This is all I will present: the few Guyanese within that network, are only too glad to be part of an expanding rent-a-group (a domestic one) strategy by foreigners to be here. We need them, but beware: it most likely is primarily on their terms.
Last, there is our political machinery. I urge citizens to look closely and settle for themselves if it is not a situation of rent-a-government, rent-an-opposition, and rent-a leader. The fingerprints and lip smears (and perfumes) of Exxon are all over our constitutional political apparatus. It is of who has been bought, how many have sold (rent) themselves out by the issue and position taken for a cheap dollar, in the manner of a cheaper prostitute. Guyanese can encourage or disturb themselves as to why most matters are secret, why billions are paid so freely.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Rent -a- citizen, rent-a-group, rent-a-government, rent-an-opposition, rent-a-leader

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