Dear Editor,
We read in social media and local papers that a company from the Dominican Republic (DR) sponsored the trips of former President Bill Clinton and former Prime Minister Tony Blair. Is it so? Why? And why in Guyana? Is that the same company that paid for Irfaan Ali’s social event at TWA (Pan Am) hotel at JFK last February? Why did a company sponsor that event? Does it have business in Guyana? Won’t the cost be included in the contract price? Why a foreign instead of a Guyanese company getting contracts? A DR company getting contracts? Really?
Events and awarding of contracts lead to the above questions and more. Something is suspicious. Something does not smell good.
The DR company that sponsored the Clinton and Blair trips — does it have business in Guyana? How much? Were Blair and Clinton paid fees? How much? Was there a quid pro quo? Did they come to lobby Irfaan and Jagdeo for contracts for the sponsoring company?
Tony Blair and Bill Clinton are not held in high esteem any more. They don’t have much relevance to their countries. It is recalled that Blair supported George Bush in the invasion of Iraq to find weapons of mass destruction. None was found.
The country has experienced civil war ever since. Millions were killed from the invasion and the civil war. Much of the country lies in ruins. Bill Clinton signed into law the toughest anti-Immigrant and anti-welfare laws in the history of the country. As a result of the immigration law, many Guyanese and millions of foreigners were deported for overstaying their visa or if undocumented.
Why did the duo really come to Guyana and why did the DR company sponsor them? We read last year of announcement by the President of a DR company that will build an oil refinery and other government projects that would exceed US$1 billion in contracts. The project was not at the time put up for bidding and yet it was already given to a foreign company from the DR. Is that the same company that sponsored Clinton and or Blair? We also learn that a company from DR would start an airline service from there to Timehri. Is it the same company?
Dominican Republic has no commonality with Guyana. Their stock of people is different from ours as is the culture and language. We have virtually no trade with DR and no diplomatic linkage. DR is not known as a country with significant technical expertise. It has no significant industries. A DR Ambassador recently makes its presence in Georgetown.
Why then is this company given such prominence? Could more experienced companies be found in the USA and Canada? Why not a local company? Business opportunities are given to others. The government bows to overseas players that have no relevance in the home countries.
Facilitators of international deals are acting against the interests of the local people. They are not here to help Guyanese but to take from Guyanese. And our government is in cahoots with them. Guyana is looted. The government is acting against the interests of Guyana and Guyanese contractors and other businesses. If Blair and Clinton really wish to assist Guyana, they would urge Exxon to give Guyana fair deal in the contract.
Guyana is not getting a free ride from the visitors and the sponsoring DR company. Blair and Clinton will walk away with fees of millions of American dollars and our country is paying them billed in overbids of contracts. Is any local also getting a fee?
Yours truly,
Edward Burrowes