Drowning…

… in garbage
The Brazilian economy’s crumbling, and Brazilians are in the throes of a corruption-induced political crisis. However, back in the 70s, they were in a worse situation; they were stuck in a stagnant economy, all of that plus hyper-inflation and a mountain of debt. By 1980, inflation was NINE TIMES what it was in the 1960s; yet the Government didn’t worry: it was Hakuna Matata all the way – no worries, no cares!! They continued blithely borrowing from the mainly U.S. banks, which were flailing around to lend the funds that were piling up in the newly launched OPEC economies.
Brazil could afford to not give a damn and thumb its nose at the U.S. banks, because the Brazilians figured those banks were hooked. With them being in hock for so many billions, the banks couldn’t just walk away, could they? They were now in a ‘relationship’!
When your Eyewitness read, on Sunday morning, of the Town Clerk thumbing his nose at the garbage collectors, he was reminded of the Brazilian gambit.
The City now owes its two private garbage collectors G$300 million – which is a lotta moolah in any language. And once again, the latter threatened to quit picking up the dirt unless City Hall started to significantly make a dent in that number. They’d done the same thing last month, but resumed after a few days, after promises were made. Obviously, the promises weren’t kept; but this time Royston King pulled the Brazilian gambit!!
He informed the garbage collectors if they went ahead with their threat they would be violating their contract, and they could consider their contract terminated!!! The garbage collecting companies are beside themselves. This was a “man bites dog” scenario to them!! King knows the garbage collectors can’t walk away from G$300M…they’re now in a “relationship”, like Brazil and the U.S. banks!!
So how’d that work out eventually? Well, the World Bank and the IMF stepped in and lent money to Brazil to pay off the U.S. Banks! City Hall DOES have friends in high places, but will they pay off their G$300M debt? Your Eyewitness doubts the PNC-led coalition Government’s going to step up to the crease. So what’s Royston King to do?
It’s clear he’s learnt more than a thing or two from the American Grifters – who had him sign away the City to Smart City. King now knows the devil is in the details of the contract! And the details with the garbage collectors’ contracts apparently DOESN’T give them the option of withholding services.
So we have an irresistible force meeting an immovable object. And the citizens of Georgetown will get it in the (stinky) end!
…in stonewalling
It was a shad, shad shituation in Parliament the other day. Here, in the supposedly highest forum of democracy in the land, where our leaders are supposed to set a standard for the rest of us peons on how to serve our country, a great travesty of justice was committed; and — not for the first time — by the individual who is supposed to be above the fray in the August assembly of legislators: the Speaker of the Assembly.
Which citizen in the land doesn’t want to hear about how many Ministers are receiving G$500,000 rental allowances? Or under whose auspices were such payments authorised? So the question was tabled by the PPP. But even though the Speaker accepted that the timing, format and all procedures were OK, he disallowed the question being answered!
Why? He ruled the question wasn’t on an “urgent” matter!! So, what about the citizens’ burning need for info about their taxes being spent?
That’s not an “urgent” matter?
…in corruption
If you thought smuggling tattoo machines and such like into our prisons under the noses of our authorities was daring, what do you think about that illegal airstrip just found in the Rupununi near the Sante Fe mega farm??
Didn’t the GDF sweep the area last Sept when Prezzie visited?