Dear Editor,
Our fears of having Dr. Irfaan Ali as President are growing. Confirmations of his hefty, flamboyant farm at Long Creek are worrying. It convinces us of the doubts we once had since his name was announced as the Presidential Candidate for the PPP.
When the Vice President introduced him as the Presidential Candidate, I was disappointed. He had, in the past as a minister, portrayed himself as a person who had unrealistic goals. He would set very high goals in distributing house lots and could not meet those goals. I had written a comment for him to set realistic goals, as we crowned him President of Guyana.
Must I remind President Ali that we the ordinary, hard-working Guyanese are the ones who have placed him in that position? It is on our taxes that he is paid. It is on our taxes that his family is being taken care of like royals, and we do it wholeheartedly, but not foolishly.
So why this blatant disrespect?
We are paying the President 3.7 million GYD per month to take care of our country. Yet he went behind our backs and built this mega farm for himself! His priority should be Guyana. His focus should be on building a stronger Guyana. A country where people feel safe walking the streets. After his presidency he could do whatever he wanted! But not while we are paying him for his service.
How could he do this to us? I feel betrayed, as I am sure there are others who are feeling the same way.
His farm is now evidence that the President may not need a salary going forward, if he remains in office. His farm is now evidence that he should pay back his salary as President, since he was wealthy enough to have established such a flamboyant farm.
Why is it that politicians start their careers at zero but by the end of their careers they could afford to build an empire while we, the ordinary citizens, continue to struggle? The average Guyanese will spend their whole lives just to buy a single house and a car. While politicians can purchase at a higher level than ordinary citizens.
I need to ask this question, what was going on in the President’s mind to think about doing this to us? We need an explanation. We need answers. The clock is ticking and while the rooster crows, it is the hen that lays the eggs!
Yours sincerely,
Pushpa Jagnandan
Discussion