Fishing and logging in Guyana

Dear Editor,

I wish to state openly that I am a great respecter of the Chinese people and of China. I believe that China will be a great world super power and that this era belongs to the Chinese. I see India as the next, then Brazil.

I believe and advise our Government to be careful in that the Chinese, due to their population, are extremely aggressive, and while humane, have enormous needs to satisfy. They have massive hunger for raw products and resources to satisfy their industries, diet and ambition.

Licence for fishing: it is said that the Government of Guyana is considering providing this licence. It is one I disagree with. The Government of Guyana is saying the licence is for fishing of certain species of fish that we do not use.

It will be impossible to monitor their factory ships, in large-scale harvesting, and maybe in devastation of the marine creature in the ocean.

I can actually image their ships scooping all living creatures floating, swimming, under the oceans and even resting on the sea beds, and then processing them by freezing and instant canning. The filth and waste is always dumped in the oceans.

They will take the ones we usually use and the ones we do not. They have already proved that they cannot be trusted to keep their word, nor follow protocols established.

I do not mean they are bad people, but just that they have such an enormous need due to their population and its constant growth, and they do large-scale exports of food and non-food items.

In the end, the licence fees will do little or nothing for us. We must protect our resources for future generations, and if any, encourage the Chinese to open up factories in Guyana, for processing of products, not for the exporting of our raw materials, be it fish, meat, farm products, logs, whatever. Let them open factories in Guyana and process them for exports, called value added products.

The Government of Guyana has to be very careful, while we are in need of finance, and international friendship and support, we cannot fritter away our resources. We have ourselves to think of and our future generations. If the Government of the day wastes away our resources, they will be cursed in generations to come.

Logging: it is done for two things basically – for profitability and for looking after their interest, while providing some services, aid and loans to help the nations whose resources are depleted.

If the Government cannot place the mechanisms and control in place, then the combined Opposition has to, and I will encourage them, even support them. They will always find ways to circumvent the laws.

I repeat that I have nothing against the Chinese people. I have no complaints with their business acumen, investment potential and opportunities, as they see opportunities in areas and things many Guyanese or Caribbean people tend to frown on. I respect them for this. The discipline and dedication in their business should be sources of inspiration to us.

I am warning the Government of Guyana, and I can warn them, as they are my Government, and hence, servants of the people of Guyana that voted in Guyana. Do not waste away our resources with people who have enormous appetites for food, any kind, and hunger for resources, our precious and dear resources, which we need for many generations to come!

Sincerely,

Roshan Khan