So after spending literally hundreds of millions of dollars to erect the world’s worse stadium, and after lying about the purpose for its construction, the PNC-Coalition is again showing how inept they are, by moving the National Flag Raising to “some” other place.
Let’s go through this step by step. First the newly minted Coalition told the very excited Guyanese public that the millions being spent to construct the Jubilee Park (Grangers’ Hangout), were donations from the Diaspora and local contributors. They refused to name any of their donors, saying that if they do the PPP would victimize them. That of course was a reasonable excuse. The PPP and particularly Jagdeo, does have that nasty side of vendetta. So the PNC-Coalition kept the names of the so-called “donors” under wraps. Then when asked, they said that they cannot disclose the cost of the project because the final tally had not been done. When pressed further, they said that the change of managers from the Larry London’s group to the Ministry of Infrastructure – the David Patterson’s group – goes not allow for an accurate audit, at the moment. We still await the final audit on that project.
You would remember that the change of manager was ordered by President David Granger, after it was found out that the stands were being constructed virtual death-traps and that journalists were literally, physically, removed from the site, because they were filming and recording the shabby works being done. They were also claims of cronyism and rampant theft of the funds and materials. The embarrassment was too much from the young government, so Mr. Granger held his nose and rearranged the deck.
Next we heard was that the multi-millions used to construct the ‘Granger’s Hangout’ were not really from donations, rather, the monies were from the public purse. So in the 2016 budget, a supplemental payment of five hundred thousand US$ dollars was sought to pay the contractors. Actually, that was not really to pay the contractors. That was to give the contractors a little-something because the contractors say that they were owed more. But in vintage PNC style – using bully tactics – they were told to “Take it or leave it!”
Then on one of the President’s weekly – very weakly – talk show, he announced that the Jubilee Park’s project would be halted. Meaning that that nice picture on that expensive billboard, of a transformed Durban Park, with tracks, and booths, nicely landscaped walkways, etc. will not be materialized. The place has now become a cow pen, and a place where vagrants reside. At nights it is transformed into and a place where lovers and prostitutes frequent to ply their trade.
Editor, it was not as if the Government was not warned of this eventuality. The hundreds of millions spent on Durban Park could easily have been used to renovate the two existing places we have for such activities. If the Government thought that they need more seating capacity at special events, then portable tents and chairs could have been brought in. All this was told to the administration. However, commonsense did not prevail. The king has on no clothes and no one wants to tell him.
Now after all that money spent to build that monstrosity, that stands as a collection of death-traps, the Government is running around looking for a place to locate the Flag Raising Ceremony. This is ridiculous! The United Republican Party (URP) would therefore like to suggest that President Granger revert to his original plan and have those stands dismantled and donated to community parks across the country. We are also suggesting that careful attention be paid to the reconstruction of the stands and that monies be allotted for the painting of the stands, when they are erected in the communities.
We all are aware that this is a comparatively new administration, with a collection of political novices. However, their mistakes are too numerous and their blatant and unapologetic arrogance does not allow for much goodwill across the national divide. This is our country and all of us must have a say in how it is governed and how our money is spent.
Finally, this administration has disappointed and frustrated many of their diehard supporters and even those who were willing to work with them. Could it be that they are looking for another location because of the embarrassing numbers that now show up at these national events and the Jubilee Park would tell the sad story?
When Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo refused the bluff from Mr. Aubrey Heath-Retemyer (CEO of the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU)), he lost even more of his fledging credibility. One of the accusations that brought down the PPP cabal and government is the accusation that they were a bunch of very corrupt individuals. Folks point to their immense wealth and lavish lifestyles, and the fact that none of these people owned anything of significance before they got into government. And they conclude that this must be stolen assets.
So when Mr. Retemyer suggested that he and Mr. Jagdeo should both subject themselves to a lie detector test, administered by foreign entity, agreed upon by both parties, Jagdeo should have jumped on the offer. He should have even demanded that Mr. Retemyer pay for it. But rather, Jagdeo refused the challenge, claimed that Mr. Retemyer was below him.
If there is one thing that former President Jagdeo has going for him is the same thing that Donald Trump has going for him, which is, he can do no wrong in the eyes of those who support him. Every honest, logical, person knows that there is no possible way Mr. Jagdeo could have gotten as wealthy as he has, purely from the earnings from his presidential salary. And if how he got his money was above board, then Jagdeo should haste to tell the Guyanese populace what he did to make so many millions in such a short period of time.
The notion that he was engaged in raping the country and the treasury, is hanging over his head. And no doubt, that was the factor which caused Mr. Retemyer to suggest that Jagdeo subjects himself to a lie detector test. Therefore, when Jagdeo refused to go head to head with the CEO of what will be the most powerful investigative outfit in Guyana, he again confirmed his guilt in the eyes of those who always thought he was guilty of skullduggery.
Jagdeo tagged President Granger, suggesting that he would take a lie detector test, if David Granger would agree to take one. Note that Mr. Jagdeo did not say that he would definitely fail a lie detector test, what he said is that he would only take the test if Mr. Granger agrees to take one. What Jagdeo is doing is seeking to bring down the PNC-Coalition in the same ship that could finally bring him down.
Mr. Jagdeo knows that it is possible that Mr. Granger would know of skullduggeries that are now taking place under his nose. Jagdeo might know of current PNC Ministers that he (Jagdeo) might have paid (or had paid), with dirty money and therefore his call to have the sitting President subject himself to a lie detector test is a shot across the bow. Jagdeo also noted that he would like to write the questions for Mr. Granger.
It is clear that Jagdeo thinks that Mr. Granger would fail a lie detector test just as fast as he would fail one. He also knows that the support that Granger has is no way as loyal as the support that he has. The Indian support that Jagdeo has is much deeper, culturally, than what Granger has. So any fallout from a failed lie detector test would decimate Granger, while (like Trump), Jagdeo would just dust himself off, without any suffering and significant negative effects with his base.
The United Republican Party (URP) would appreciate if President David Granger would now call Mr. Jagdeo’s bluff. It does not have to be a public stunt but the two Presidents could arrange for the lie detector tests behind the scenes and then have the results released to the public.
By failing to accept Mr. Retemyer’s challenge, Jagdeo might have heightened the suspicion that he is a crook, however, what he has done simultaneously is implicate the current President in that crookishness. Let’s see if the President will call Mr. Jadgeo’s bluff. Or does he think that Bharrat Jagdeo is below him?