NAPOLEON SYNDROME, PALM TREES, STATE HOUSE AND LONG-SUFFERING CITIZENS

Petty politics continue unabated in Dear Land of Guyana. My generation grew up in a time where heads of state and governments appeared to somehow be under the misguided notion that the country is the exclusive property of their's and their supporters. From the time Guyana became a republic in 1970, to date first the PNC now APNU and then the PPP/C seem to think that symbolism is a way to further entrench it selves.

All hallmarks of politicians whose egos are somewhat larger than the service they actually render to the country. This goes back to the days when Forbes Burnham was prime minister. It was not enough for him to have the town of Linden named after himself, but his inflated sense of self allowed for housing schemes to be named after his children. They are Roxanne Burnham Gardens and Melanie Daminshana. What possible rationale could be behind the naming of places after a prime minister's children? Being young children at that time, what could they have contributed to the country to warrant places bearing their names?

It is by no means a practice that is unique to Guyana. Worldwide, there are airports, streets and buildings etc. named after politicians, industry giants, heroes and the like. However, it becomes not just an annoyance but a waste of money when during office, the government of the day sees it fit to, for instance, change the colour of state house, the sitting president's official residence. From time immemorial, it was the practice that this building remains a neutral shade of white. Like all public buildings, state house in theory belongs to the good people of Guyana, who as tax payers bear the brunt of its upkeep. State house and other public buildings are most certainly not the sole property of any ruling party.

In November 2017, APNU continued the self-serving and exclusionary trend, when state house was repainted green, one of the party's colours. Now what good reason could there have been for doing same? The only attempt to clarify the change in colour was then President David Granger's nebulous statement of no laws being broken. Not content with just state house bearing the party's colour, the Ministry of the Presidency too was painted green. Granger's defence of that was "It's cool to be green." (Stabroek News January 2017)

Fast forward to November 2021. Apparently it seems to be the month of choice for the perpetration of ignorance by successive governments. On Saturday last, one week after a rather mysterious fire destroyed the Director of Public Prosecutions' Chambers, the Guyana Police Force Office of Professional Responsibility, as well as the Internal Affairs Division Eve Leary, videos circulating on social media, showed chain saw operators cutting down all the palm trees lining the entrance and planted throughout the compound of the police headquarters.

Is it then to be expected that there will be a tree removal crew roaming the country at large to cut down all palm trees on state property? That sounds as ludicrous as what occurred in Eve Leary. Also, does it not seem a bit too contrived that right after the fire, all the palm trees there are suddenly being removed?

Surprisingly, unlike at the fire last week, during the destruction of the trees, I did not see any photographs of Education Minister Priya Manickchand there distressed at this wanton killing of healthy trees. One would have thought that as education minister, she would understand the value of the trees with respect to the environment. Likewise, the ministers responsible for the environment and tourism. Aren't they the representatives of the government and thus the people of Guyana who are entrusted with the overall well-being of the country? Shouldn't they have been the first at the scene condemning this act of destruction of the environment? Not even Prime Minister Mark Phillips who also was present at the fireground the week before lamenting, was there for the trees. Where too are all the conservationists? Surely they will speak out against this travesty.

What examples are being set for the children of Guyana with this continuous puerile behaviour? Every time there is a change of government, are Guyanese to expect state property to be repainted in the ruling party's colours? Are they to expect the removal of trees and anything else that is perceived to be symbolic of its predecessor? Are they going to continue to accept this colossal waste of their tax dollars to feed the egos of apparently petty politicians?

Last but by no means least, what happened to "it's cool to be green?" Surely the opposition APNU would have by now raised its voice in loud condemnation against an act that is above all harmful to the environment.