Politics…

.. as PR
As Ralph Ramkarran keeps up his pretence of writing a “blog”, which is actually a fig leaf for writing for the opposition Stabber News and MuckrakerKN, he increasing reveals why he was never a real contender for the presidency from within the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C). Looks like he’s working real hard to be the opposition’s “consensus” candidate.
This week he weighs in with the incredible claim that, if the government had better “public relations” (PR) savvy, they would’ve been able to get the opposition to vote for Amaila Hydro! Well, actually, they didn’t need the entire opposition, since the Alliance For Change (AFC) had already done a somersault after it was revealed that their Chairman Nigel Hughes was on the payroll of Sithe Global! It wasn’t PR that changed their mind – just plain old fashioned love of money.
And on the PR front, we didn’t notice Hughes’ better half, Kathy Hughes – also an AFC executive – doing anything for Fip Motilall, as his PR flak. But that’s another story. Coming back to Ramkarran, is he really serious that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) would’ve had the PPP/ C solve the electricity problem of Guyana? If he believes that, then we have a bridge to sell him across the Demerara River.
APNU is scared sh* tless about any of the PPP/ C’s projects coming on stream. If that happens, it means that they’re stuck in the opposition wilderness for two more decades. For starters. But let’s list Ramkarran’s six questions that he said the PPP/ C never responded to properly.
It’s actually three because he figured: (1) “the inadequacy of Amaila by the time it comes on stream (was)… no reason not to proceed with Amaila because without it, the situation will be far worse”; (2) “ whether Guyana would have to go into debt”… (this) had no relationship to the viability of the project; and (3) “the absence of a plan for the development of the Potaro Basin (was) giving up the bird in the hand for two in the bush”.
So we’re left with “the cost of electricity to the consumer after the construction of Amaila…(which) was never answered or “adequately answered”, Sithe’s financial commitment, (“never fully clarified”) – and “the rate of return, (which) could have been defended”.
Now in a case of electricity generation by Amaila Hydro, how in God’s name would that entity be responsible for the price the client, Guyana Power and Light (GPL), would be selling it to consumers, since the latter would have to straighten transmission losses? This is the first time we’re hearing there were questions off Sithe’s financial commitment. It was Sithe’s Blackstone’s connection and money that brought all the other players to the table.
And APNU would’ve backflipped if the PPP/ C had told them this? What a joker!
… as passing the buck
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is in town to help increase our “trade capabilities”. But as this newspaper has said before, it was supposed to do this through the “Aid for Trade”(AfT) initiative.
Not us just tightening our Customs services.
The focus of AfT – to increase trade via Global Value Chains (GVCs) – has to help by deepening our production capacities so we get a share of the big value added bucks.
Back in 2009, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) crafted a strategy toward “upgrading key economic infrastructure, enhancing export competitiveness, diversifying economies, retooling the private sector, strengthening regional integration, and creating financial and other instruments to encourage and support innovation and research and development”.
WTO’s AfT has to help our manufacturing capacities beyond being assembly lines, create a vibrant agricultural sector – including agro-processing and increase our capacities in a range of services sectors. We need structural transformation, baby, especially of services or we’ll continue supplying raw materials to the developed nations till the end of time.
… in literary circles
We’re really happy Ruel Johnson won the Guyana Prize for “Best Fiction”. We were afraid his effusions in the letter pages might’ve damaged his reputation. If he had one.