by Randy GoPaul
In a country where nearly half the population struggles to survive on less than $5 a day, the First Lady’s Diamond Ball at the Marriott stands as a grotesque display of extravagance and indifference. Cloaked in an illusion of elegance, this event attempts to masquerade as class but succeeds only in exposing the hollowness of Guyana’s so-called leadership class. It is a scene straight out of a dystopian tale, where the elites toast with champagne as the masses toil and suffer.
This spectacle is less about charity and more about ego, a desperate bid to cement the illusion of refinement. But the veneer is as thin as the invitations handed to the privileged few. The attendees—sycophants, social climbers, and the morally bankrupt—congregate not to demand justice or equality but to ingratiate themselves with those at the helm of Guyana’s spiraling inequity. Their presence is a betrayal of the democratic principles this nation should hold dear.
Let us not be fooled by the glittering gowns and tuxedos that mimic the colonial oppressors of yesteryear. The “elite” of Guyana fail to grasp that true class transcends wealth or appearances. My grandmother, a wise woman who lived with dignity, often reminded us, “Money can’t buy class.” These pretenders, with their stolen wealth and empty airs, are living proof of her words. They may strut in designer labels, but their lack of decency, integrity, and vision remains glaringly evident.
What makes this spectacle particularly damning is its timing. Guyana, flush with the promise of oil wealth, is becoming a cautionary tale of squandered opportunity. Instead of investing in infrastructure, education, and healthcare, the spoils of our newfound resources are being siphoned off into the pockets of a select few. Ministers hide behind shell companies, enriching themselves at the expense of a nation desperate for change. We have leaders who steal millions of dollars but have no idea how to get a paltry sum of $500 USD to the people of Guyana.
This isn’t just about the faux ostentation of the Diamond Ball, it is about the deep rot within the system. When leaders indulge in such vulgar displays while their people starve, they are effectively declaring, “Let them eat cake.” History tells us how that ends. Yet here we are, watching a leadership class and their enablers march us further into the abyss.
Woe unto those who worship these unworthy elites, who trade their dignity for fleeting proximity to power. In doing so, they condemn their children and grandchildren to lives of mendicancy and subservience. True freedom and equity will remain elusive in Guyana so long as we, the people, allow ourselves to be dazzled by baubles and blinded to the exploitation that underpins it all.