Granger wants the government to create jobs, but votes to kill job-creating initiatives Written by HARRY GILL Wednesday, 25 September 2013 22:51 IN response to a letter, ‘Listen carefully, Mr. Gill. Listen!’ (Kaieteur News Sept. 24), the author, Mr. Aubry James, insisted that my opinion on the Opposition Leader David Granger is wrong. Well, as suggested, I not only listened, but I read his letter twice hoping to find something, anything of consequence that the PNC/APNU Leader has done for the people who voted for him at the last election. Mr. James did not list one item. Then he made the following erroneous statement, “I am forced to ask if Mr. Gill voted for Mr. Granger because if he did, then he has a legitimate right to voice his concerns. If he did not, then he has some other interest.” Using this same yardstick, those in the opposition who criticise the President and his ministers have no “legitimate right” to do so. In a democracy, we all have that right. I am proud to have served my country, and I continue to do so. But the truth hurts! All the ministries I’ve visited in Region 4 have a much higher percentage of persons who traditionally voted PNC/APNU. Development in Guyana is not limited to constituencies won by the PPP/C, but can be seen throughout every region, including those that still support APNU. More Guyanese have been made first-time home-owners than any other period in our history, and a PPP/C party-card was not the criterion used to award house lots to PNC/APNU supporters. New schools and health care facilities are built in every region, and some are being vandalised by supporters of PNC/APNU to make the government look bad. There are equal opportunities for all who want to work, but some feel it is their birth right to take from those who have sacrificed and now enjoy a better standard of living. I do not hear David Granger condemn those criminal actions, but he calls for the removal of Home Affairs Minister Rohee. There has not been one single infrastructural initiative in any PNC/APNU constituency that David Granger can take credit for. These were all done by the same PPP/C Administration he opposes. And I am confident that had PNC/APNU not been bent on impeding progress under this government, much more would have been done for his people, and all Guyanese. Granger wants the government to create jobs, but votes to kill job-creating initiatives such as the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Plant, the Marriott Hotel, the Speciality Hospital, and the CJIA Extension Project. He can’t have it both ways. Look, David Granger has served his country well. With the exception of the GDF seizure of ballot boxes in the 1973 General Election for which he is yet to explain his involvement or lack thereof, he has had an unblemished, distinguished military career. I believe Granger truly wants Guyana to develop… He just don’t want the PPP/C to be the party that does it. Mr. James should know that Granger does not need me “...to find the opposition leader wanting and to dissuade and discourage multitudes of people from supporting him”, he is doing a pretty good job of that all by himself. Last March, I attended the Bartica Regatta. My brother, a die-hard PNC supporter who has contributed immensely to that party for many years, called to ascertain whether I was comfortable as accommodation there was limited for such a big event. I assured him that I was, as David Granger was staying at the same hotel. He then confessed his disappointment with the APNU Leader in ways I had never heard before. My brother worked his butt off to win votes and financial contributions for Granger during the 2011 election campaign, and Granger has never met him, thanked him, or even knew he existed. Shortly thereafter I met Granger in the lobby and told him how disappointed my brother was. Although he served as a councillor for years and is almost a household name in Region 3, my brother was right… Granger had never heard of him. During my conversation with Granger, I explained that as a military expert, he ought to know the importance of boosting the morale of his lieutenants in the field, even in the face of defeat. He asked for my brother’s information, and I gave it to him. He promised to see my brother and to thank him for his support. Six months later, he is still waiting for that call. Editor, let me dispel a myth that Aubry James is perpetrating in his letter. He wrote, “Mr. David Granger has demonstrated nothing but astute leadership, deep intellect, and sheer determination in the face of the daunting challenges posed by the PPP/C Government against his efforts to represent all Guyanese. He has stood up to the PPP and many of them are coming in line with a culture that is characterised by transparency and accountability. He has consistently been exposing the lies of the PPP/C Government in and out of parliament.” How ludicrous this statement is. This is nothing more than a shameless misrepresentation of the facts. All of the talking points used by both PNC/APNU and AFC on major issues, are those expressed days before in the pages of Kaieteur News. Both APNU and AFC are known to piggyback on the issues published in the Kaieteur News. Finally, Mr. James should know that although issues such as Local Government Bills, the Procurement Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman are important constitutional matters, the ultimate concerns of most Guyanese are good-paying jobs; health care; education for their children; and a safe environment to live and raise a family. David Granger will best serve Guyana’s interest in achieving these necessities by being less confrontational, more constructive and more responsible in executing his duties as the Leader of the Opposition, and as a lawmaker. Guyana will never be able to progress if the Opposition continues to behave like crabs in a bucket, pulling the government down at every opportunity they get. We all need to work together to achieve more for our people, and to make Guyana more competitive and respected in the Region. I’m still hopeful that the needs of our people prevail over the personal ambitions of politicians.
Posted on: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 11:42:05 +0000