Mr. President you must do better and come cleaner

Dear Editor,

I regret that I am prompted by circumstances to call out His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan ‘speak no evil’ Ali. His words are not being matched by supporting deeds from his government. Words about clean governance, about honourable leadership, about doing the right thing. I ponder whether the president is deliberately deceptive, knowing full well that there is no intention of delivering; or if the long tail is wagging the dog that is the presidency. President Ali, like his illustrious namesake, may say he is the greatest; but unlike that famous fighter, he is not, which his record keeps confirming.

The most recent ones are two high-profile situations involving a minister and a returning CEO. Minister Walrond ‘lapsed.’ President Ali and his comrades lapsed further by their actions for continuity in secrecy with this Honourable Minister, who comes across as rather shabby. The more raggedy she looks in this matter, the more underhanded the Ali Administration looks. Given their nature, standards, and nonchalance with positive things, I don’t think either the president or his people care about perception or reality. When we stoop to the level of a secret swearing-in of a lawmaker, then what kind of law is she (or they) capable of making, other than which suits their whims and caprices? I started out not overly engaged in this issue; but subsequent developments powered by the PPP made it into a matter of concern. If there is difficulty and resistance with obvious and ordinary things, then how can President Ali and his comrades be trusted with big and bigger things? Maybe this is the kind of transparency and democracy that the diplomatic brigade, now heading north to collect their rewards, instilled in them.

Then, there is the matter of the returning CEO of the GPL Inc., Jamaican Albert Gordon did the right thing, which was to signal early that the quicker he shakes the dust off this place from his feet, the better off he would be. Occasionally, I wonder why I am so stubborn in not doing likewise. Meanwhile, the surprise announcement came about Mr. Bharrat Dindyal returning to lead the GPL. From what I could gather, the man clearly has the technical knowledge. It is just as clear, that he lacks some other skills, though, which was sharply revealed by a leading PPP light back in the day. Note please: it is not someone like me saying this, but a rather damning report prepared by not a PNC hack, but a PPP bigwig. I learned of project management, money management, executive and board management, and personnel management.

To be more pointed, what Guyana did learn was how this fine technical presence mismanaged those and other areas, with great costs to taxpayers, colleagues and careers, and the internal esprit de corps to get the job done at a high level consistently. When that does not happen, then Guyanese have to comfort themselves with candles. Being who I am, I advise the president: a mockery is being made of words uttered. This officer, a gentleman and scholar (perhaps) should have been passed by, with the best wishes. Why does it have to be Mr. Dindyal? Why Minister Walrond? And why, when these things trouble?
Last, there was the one involving Dr. Vincent Adams. I cannot recall which of the nation’s presidents said it, but one of the two did inform the public that a placement will be found for him that matches his skills.

Yet here we are with a tsunami of oil business inundating these shores, and Dr. Adams is just as relevant and suitable as if he studied Art History. Perhaps, he should have studied dialectics or managing the politics of the oil business, rather than the oil itself, at which he is extremely skilled. Now he languishes, like John the Baptist in a PPP gulag. That already has a noticeable population.

As I contemplate these things, I see and hear a president, this President Ali, who thinks he is Marcus Aurelius or Spartacus, but is more of Barabbas and not too far from Judas. President Ali risks the latter, if he keeps making promises aimed at deceiving Guyanese and not delivering.

Sincerely,
GHK Lall