Yes I am a “rum shop drinker” and a proud “rum shop drinker”, that’s why I take strong offence to anyone denigrating my fellow Berbician as “rum shop drinker”. I take it personally when it’s my fellow New Amsterdamer.I was not aware that there were two classes of drinkers until President Jagdeo made the distinction; maybe Freddie was right about the nouveau rich now we have two classes of “watering hole”.The President has to be careful of his “put downs”. Berbice is a strong PPP base and Berbicians in the main are “rum shop drinkers”. I am also guilty of discussing Government business in a “rum shop”. Back in the day when I was a journalist in Guyana it was Burnham business; now when I do visit Guyana it’s Jagdeo’s business.Going to the rum shop is one of the highlights of my visit to Guyana. More on that later. This President must be far removed from the working class or he would haven known that more Government business is discussed in a rum shop than any place else.I am so disappointed with this President. I have defended some of his actions in the Diaspora but now some of his actions cannot be defended.Now don’t get me wrong; Guyana has made great strides under Jagdeo. You can’t take that away from the man; he has turned things around. I go to Guyana and I get confused about the economy.On one hand I can see the poverty, but then I see so much money circulating. Rum shops, clubs restaurants and stores all seem to be doing exceeding well. I can’t understand where the money is coming from, considering the wage level.The problem I have with the President is when I look at his balance sheet. As you may be aware, a business has a profit and loss statement and a balance. You put all the good accomplishments in the profit column of the President, then you fill the loss column. If your loss outweighs your profits, you are in trouble.This is where the President finds himself— in the loss column. Corruption, nepotism,NFL Jerseys From China, and cronyism surround the President. You have a police force in which people are increasing losing confidence. There is selective enforcement of the law, which some people feel is politically directed against opponents of the Government.Crime in making a serious comeback, this time not gang related, but so much robbery. The police, I must say, are in a better place than they were a few years ago when the gangs had them holed up in their stations. The recent murder of a US-based Guyanese at Port Mourant is not helping. The Government may not realize this, but that murder has had a great impact in the Diaspora.You ask anyone in the Diaspora what is his greatest fear of going to Guyana and he will tell you it’s crime. That is the single factor that prevents most Guyanese from investing in Guyana.Who wants to go to a country where you could be murdered within twenty four hours of your arrival? The point I want to make is that the negatives dilute the accomplishments.You can pour billions of dollars into infrastructure and other projects. At the end of the day if they do not improve the lives of the ordinary citizens (especially those at the lower end),Jerseys From China, improve their standard of living or alleviate their daily frustrations,Jerseys From China, then you have really achieved nothing.As if the above is not enough trouble for the President,NFL Jerseys China, he has brought himself to “cussing and byusing down”. What’s wrong with this President? You are the President of a country; you have to carry your office with respect,Jerseys Wholesale, decorum and dignity to make Guyanese at home and the Diaspora proud.Be a Statesman, and have your “pit bulls” do your dirty work. I have said before in these columns that if politicians and government officials want to be paid by taxpayers then they must be prepared to be criticized by taxpayers.They pay your salary so it is their right to evaluate your performance, demand transparency and accountably, whether it is through the media or a town hall meeting, I get the feelings that the President and some of those who surround him feel that they should not be criticized.Well that is tough. Go get a job in the private sector and see how long you will last. I should add that it is my impression that Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Health Minister Ramsammy have been very open to the media and public.Now I am back to the root cause of this “rum shop” cussing down. Should the PPP Central Executive have a secret vote? Why is this issue, the answer is an overwhelming YES. What is the problem here, somebody afraid the vote may not go his way? With a secret vote no one can be intimidated or face retribution or retaliated against. That is the essence of a secret vote.Let me side tract a little to emphasize my point. Quite a few years ago the Berbice Chamber of Commerce had an election for President. One candidate was assured he was a “shoe in” for the Presidency. He let his superiors know that he would be President of the Chamber, an after party was all set for the celebration.When the secret vote was taken he lost, the poor fellow did not realize that his friends could not tell him to his face that he was not qualified for the office, so they did it in a secret ballot.So shocked he was that he asked to examine the ballots to be sure he lost. True story, I was one of three persons that counted the votes. If someone is afraid of a secret ballot, then you know he is afraid and not confident that the votes will go his way. A show of hands will leads to all sorts of retribution.When I knew Navin, way back when, he was not a “rum shop drinker”. He came to my “bachelor pad” to have intellectual conversations with my late brother, Gordon. Their subjects of discussions were, Plato, Socrates and Aristotle; way over my head then.I would leave them to go with my friends to the nearest rum shop, Jardine’s bar on Winkle and Republic Road in New Amsterdam .Today that bar is no more nor is Mr. Jardine, my old friend. I have not drunk alcohol for some twenty years now still, whenever I go to Berbice, my friend Gregory takes me to a rum shop in Canje that has the best wild meat “cutters”I sat on the open air table, liquor on the table, bowl of ice (only in Guyana you get a bowl of ice with your liquor) chutney music in the background. I remarked to my friend, Gregory, that believe it or not, and this is the honest truth, this is what I travelled from Florida to experience,NFL Jerseys Clearance, to sit with my friends in a rum shop.Just then I overheard a worker at the next table discussing Government business and “cussing” Bharrat. True story.Ralph Seeram can be reached at e-mail [email protected]
