What have we achieved in  41 years of Independence ?

Read more

Dear Editor,

We are presently contemplating to commemorate our 41st Independence Anniversary, which is a significant phenomenon in the history of our nation.

Desmond Hoyte,  Carl Greenidge and Bharrat Jagdeo  forced Guyanese to barter 'sex for visas'.

We were free from British rule on the 26th of May 1966, by the efforts of former presidents Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan. Thanks must be given for the efforts of these two champions of Guyanese freedom from British colonial rule.

As I reflected on the achievements of our nation for the past 41 years, I am more than consternated of what we have achieved when I compare it with our past colonial system. Under the PNC political regime, that lasted for 28 years under Burnham and Hoyte's leadership, our country, Guyana , became the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere .

Our proud nation that was once the bread basket of the Caribbean automatically became the begging bowl in the Caribbean .

We have seen a mass exodus of our Guyanese intellectuals, which includes people like Sir Lionel Luckhoo, Dr. Mohamed Shahabuddeen and Sir Shridat Ramphal, PNC Finance Minister Carl Greenidge, all of whom were the academic experts who helped to sink Guyana in a dark pit of poverty.

 (PNC boys - Sir Lionel Luckhoo, Dr. Mohamed Shahabuddeen and Sir Shridat Ramphal, and former  Finance Minister Carl Greenidge)

Ahmed Chalabi is the equivalent to Sir Lionel Luckhoo  Ex-policeman David Parker

Basic food items, such as flour, sardines, potatoes, peas etc. were banned under Forbes Burnham's autocratic misrule. 

rape in cemetery  homeless man

Under Hoyte's regime our country became a little better, because he allowed the basic food items that were banned by Burnham to return into our economic system. Flour was one of the main food items. Our entire economic system was destroyed because of corruption, bribery, poor administration and, above all, racial politics.

Hoyte allowed free and fair elections that caused his dictatorial party to be ousted from power in 1992. All the elections that were won by the then existing PNC regime were rigged and fraudulent elections.

The PPP came to power in 1992. The then hardcore communist leader, Jagan, took over the leadership of Guyana from the PNC with an empty treasury. Jagan's leadership did not last long, because of his sudden death.

Our PPP communist regime is still in power, trying to obliterate the mess created by the previous political regime.

We have seen a mass migration of Guyanese every day, the US dollar is climbing up a magnificent ladder constantly.

Over sixty percent of our population still lives below the poverty line. We have seen the high charges of GPL and GT&T bills that are exploiting our poor Guyanese society every month. Our Government does nothing about these two incompetent private companies. How can a public servant earning $28,000 per month have to pay GPL $15,000 in light bills? No wonder bribery is very high in the private and public sectors.

Our politicians drive the best cars, own the most expensive homes in and out of Guyana , their children receive the best education at Oxford and Harvard Universities , while thousands of our people suffer and starve.

Do these politicians have the Guyanese interests at heart? Or are they trying to get rich quick by exploiting the sweat of innocent citizens of this country? Our country would have been better off today under British rule if they were still ruling.

What have we achieved in 41 years of Independence? We have achieved racial discrimination; everyday migration; corruption in the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force; massive illiteracy; starvation; blackouts; poor drainage &irrigation; the drug trade, and bribery in high office.

And best of all, the rise of crime that now threatens the moral, political, social, economic and spiritual dimensions in our messed-up society. How do we deal with these social evils that invade our fragmented society like a sudden cancer?

Since we are ruled by a Government that based their political ideologies on Communist principles, it means they don't believe in God. The churches will have to stand up against all these corrupt practices I have listed in this letter. We must return to God Almighty and repent of our sins and let the Rule of God reign in Guyana.

To celebrate Independence is just a celebration of blind guides who cannot see the future of this nation. If we cannot correct a corrupt voters list, how will we lead and rule this nation? Our leaders have failed us. They need to take a keen check on themselves, lest the Judgement of God falls upon Guyana and we become a cursed nation in the eyes of Almighty God.

Mr. Gideon blame Robert Corbin, according to the Indo Caribbean World, Corbin was the man incharged for "rigging of elections" and both Burnham and Hoyte were grateful for his services.

When I compare our nation with Trinidad, Barbados, Brazil, Venezuela and our other neighbours, we still have a long way to go to call ourselves a civilized nation. We must be proud to say that we produced nothing in 41 years of misrule, thanks to our wise politicians who need more economic commonsense to rule.

Rev. Gideon Cecil