…turned horror story
The Burnham dictatorship brought the economy and society down to its knees and forced Guyanese to become refugees in so many countries today we’re found in probably all of the 196 countries that make up the United Nations!! Quite a feat for a country whose population has never reached one million – but then maybe that’s exactly why!! Another accomplishment of the PNC’s founder-leader that his present acolytes can boast about: Guyana – the amazing shrinking country!!
As a colony of Britain for centuries and ruled alongside the West Indian island-colonies, we had absolutely no contact with our continental neighbours that spoke Portuguese (Brazil on the South) Spanish (Venezuela on the West) and just a bit with Suriname on the East, which spoke Dutch. But with the Burnham implosion, about 50,000 Guyanese, mostly from Berbice ended up in Suriname, another 50,000 mostly from Essequibo went to Venezuela and maybe 15,000 to Brazil.
For folks to end up living among populations whose language were literally “Dutch” to them, is an indication of the desperation they faced during the Burnham dictatorship. But by sheer grit and determination, they not only survived but in many instances prevailed and ended up carving out decent lives for themselves and their children, who in many instances, were born in their new countries. Especially in Venezuela, they formed communities where they dominated and in fact created “Little Guyanas” there.
But today, with the social and economic implosion in Venezuela – caused ultimately by the same socialist utopian fantasies of Burnham here in Guyana – there is a steady stream of Guyanese returning from that country. This Government cannot wait for that stream to become a deluge before it takes actions to resettle these people who’re our sisters and brothers.
When Dominica was hit by that devastating hurricane, Maria, last year, President Granger made an admirable gesture when he offered them land in Guyana for them to resettle here. Isn’t it time he makes at least that offer to the Guyanese returning from Venezuela where they have lost all their possessions, houses, jobs and everything else just as effectively as if they were hit by Hurricane Maria?? To paraphrase Wedgewood’s cry for the oppressed slaves before their emancipation, are the returning Guyanese from Venezuela not our brothers and sisters like the Dominicans??
It is quite possible that many of these returnees have skills that can be of benefit to our country at this time. Take our incipient oil industry…surely there are a few Guyanese who have experience in the Venezuelan one. They should be tracked down and allowed to pass on their knowledge to us.
Unless, of course, the PNC-led Government doesn’t see them as part of its “constituency”??
…on molasses
How stupid does this Government think Guyanese are? After shuttering Enmore Estate – which had absorbed the LBI estate closed by the PPP Government – because they claimed production costs were several times the selling price for sugar – their Special Purpose Unit (SPU) suddenly did a volte face and announced they’d be hiring workers to cut canes in the fields, transport them to the reopened factory – TO MAKE MOLASSES for DDL!!!
Now let’s pick sense from nonsense. Canecutters are paid by the tons of cane they cut. Transportation costs would be higher because of the lesser tonnage shipped daily. A sugar factory’s reopening means absorbing practically all the old expenses. For molasses only, one process is cut – the centrifuge to separate the sugar crystals from the molasses. Four workers!!
Now if sugar at US$350/tonne and molasses US$93/tonne was a losing proposition…what was the selling price of the molasses – with all its sugar (at least three quarters!!) – to DDL to make the operation “profitable??
And DDL isn’t about to double its rum prices!!
…and Wicked Wizards at City Hall
So will Sherod Duncan crawl on his knees and apologise to Royston King as demanded?? Was Duncan’s vote on the Chronic firings not enough humble pie from the AFC to the PNC??
Nope!!