Dear Editor,
Let’s discuss the recent Cabinet Outreach 2010 which was carried out
mainly on the Corentyne Coast.
I’d call it a ‘Corentyne Outreach’ because save for one or two
meetings in the Canje area, the entire thing saw its focus being on
this geographical area which is so crucial to the PPP especially since
2011 is fast approaching.
The Corentyne is very valued to this party for many reasons. One is
that it is one of the main strongholds during elections time for the
ruling party.
Because I do not want others to feel offended, I will not say the next
reason why the government always runs to the Corentyne during these
outreaches.
But the East Coast of Berbice Region is one of the largest
administrative districts in the nation, covering the whole of the east
of Guyana. With so many areas and communities lined through this
region, it is mind boggling how the Cabinet team could’ve done their
outreach in one day. Surely, this must have crossed their minds.
Anyhow, the outreach was carried out on the Corentyne and two East
Canje villages.
Letter writer Leon J. Suseran threatened
The President spent most of his time too on the Corentyne as all of
his meetings (three of them) were held there, mostly on the upper
Corentyne area. There was no press conference with the media. All the
information the media drew from the outreach, was taken from speeches
done at the various meetings.
Neither ministers nor the President could’ve been asked questions in
a press conference, but rather some had been approached on the spot
during the various community meetings. I applaud SN and Kaieteur News
for the manner they covered this event, if you know what I mean.
So what did the President and government had to tell Berbicians? More
promises were made of course. The rhetoric surrounding Berbice
‘taking off’ and hopes for the Skeldon Factory, among other issues
we hear about over and over were poured out once more on the PPP
strongholds.
So many issues were raised during the meetings. I wonder how many of
them will actually be looked at and dealt with. I wonder when we will
get feedback as to which matters were dealt with and actually see it
being dealt with.
Does anyone know that the town of New Amsterdam and most East Bank
Berbice areas were ignored during this Cabinet outreach? Would you
look at that? I wonder why. Does anyone know, too, that there was a
huge protest at Tain on the Corentyne by hire car and minibus drivers
about the treatment by ‘B’ Division Police?
Does anyone know that the President and his entourage flew passed in
their Prados without even turning an eye towards these honest
hard-working men? We did not see these things on the State media. And
we certainly won’t see them on “Let’s Talk Berbice”, “Weekly
Digest”, and “The President’s Diary”. That is why we need more
brave media houses in Guyana — those with the boldness to report the
issues — the real issues!
And so, the Cabinet members along with the President left our region,
I believe, late Tuesday evening to go back to Georgetown. Was it
“mission accomplished” for them? Would the lives of Berbicians be
any better off from this outreach? One thing’s for sure; the
numerous difficulties being faced by Berbicians, like water problems,
housing issues, salary problems, estate workers grievances, excessive
use of power by various authorities, poverty, and blackouts are all
here to stay. Mr. Jagdeo, on the other hand, is not; ‘Pressy’ gone
off to another international trip.
Leon Suseran
Friday, January 15, 2010
