…AND SUGAR
The Leader of the Opposition predicts that, the way things are going, the entire sugar industry will soon be shuttered. But that was always on the cards, wasn’t it? Right now, the Opposition Leader’s being very generous to suggest that the collapse is being triggered because of the vicious infighting for turf between the PNC’s Jordan and the AFC’s Holder.
Jordan’s backed the SPU – part of NICIL — which he controls. But who exactly is Holder backing??
In fact, it surfaced sometime ago that Holder wasn’t even nominated by the AFC to be the Minister of Agriculture. He is Granger’s man, and that’s who he’s backing!! As we knew from the beginning – before the infamous Valentine’s Day “Accord” — Granger insisted the sugar industry should be sold off. So the struggle is actually between Tweedledum and Tweedledee as to who should read the last rites over an institution which, via its workers, has defied the PNC since that strike in 1964 — the “troubles”, according to Granger!!
He must also be chafing that his soldiers and GNS had to be commandeered to cut cane in 1976 when sugar workers struck for GAWU to be recognised. He obviously believes revenge is best served cold! The PNC and Granger can talk all they want about “rationalising” the industry, but until they explain why they threw Granger’s own CoI recommendations into the garbage, they cannot be given any benefit of the doubt about their intentions.
That CoI – which included their Chairman of GuySuCo, Clive Thomas – recommended that the industry be subsidised and brought to a point of sale within three years – which would’ve been this year. Under that scenario, the entity would have been able to transition to a viable future not only its operations, but also the workers. As it is right now, from the latter’s standpoint, they’ll now lose corn and husk.
A bond for over $30 billion has been floated to maintain the operations of the four closed estates – at least their field components – to make them attractive to prospective buyers. Well…duh!!…why wasn’t a bond raised to bring the entire GuySuCo operation to a point of sale?? The Govt would not have been subsidising anything. This nonsense about “subsidising” GuySuCo is also being exposed, as NDIA will demand billions annually to keep the canals going – something GuySuCo had done “for free”.
So what’s going on? GuySuCo is now a political football between two supremely incompetent ministers, who’ll be allowed to fiddle while sugar burns to the ground. Granger couldn’t care less, since the squabble takes the focus away from his initial callous declaration.
And the AFC, which thought they’d made Granger change his mind in 2015? They’ve been dumped like bagasse!!
…AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
Once again, the scab’s been torn off the sore that lies at the heart of the scorn of the Indigenous Peoples of this land by Guyana’s elite. Your Eyewitness, of course, is talking about that poor Amerindian boy who was humiliated by the staff and fellow pupils of Mae’s, which brands itself as catering to the children of that elite. Well, we hope all those Amerindians who adorn this Government know exactly how that Georgetown elite feels about them and their culture.
Let’s face it: the incident had nothing to do about the boy not being “properly” covered up. The elite that Mae’s caters to overwhelmingly DOMINATED the just concluded Carnival events, in which so much skin was exposed; the boy’s outfit was verily puritanical!! Maybe the boy should’ve “wined down” into the school – to show “real” Guyanese culture??
Wouldn’t have helped. The scorn wasn’t for the outfit; it was for what it represents.
An alternative authenticity that’s rejected because the governing elite still considers Amerindians as literally “beyond the pale”.
…AND POLITICAL CHARGES
The CCJ has upheld the right of AGs to bring charges of “public misfeasance in public officials” as a tort – to allow the state to recoup gains in real estate “giveaways’.
So why the CRIMINAL charges here?? Spite and bile against the PPP.
