"I was there in 1992 when the People’s Progressive Party came into office. Back then I had a head of black hair, sideburns and a lot of youth. I was the Editor-in-Chief of the Guyana Chronicle, a newspaper that was the top selling issue in Guyana because its pages were open to all.
Today, almost 23 years later I am still around...I then had to leave because I was perceived to be a member of the then political opposition. I left and the Man above has been good to me. I did not have to leave the country in search of employment, but only because I was a determined Guyanese.
Today I hear talk about witch-hunt. I could not help but read the comments of the people who were once in the seat of government, about the current administration targeting people. For one, I couldn’t understand the comments when the very people were the ones who made no bones about targeting those perceived to be opposition members.
And it was not only kicking the people out of jobs they held for years, the spite went on to the point where they denied people benefits due to them. Noel Holder, the current Minister of Agriculture was one of them as was Norman McLean. Fortunately, these people did not have to depend on that money to live.
There was an economist who was based in Office of the President. Her name was Darlene Harris (no relation). I watched her cry when she was kicked out. Dr Luncheon did the kicking. She was just an employee who had no pretentions to political life but she was ordered out of office in a most unceremonial manner.
These recollections come flooding back when I hear people talk about witch-hunt. When the shoe is on the other foot it really pinches. And that is not the whole story. I am in the process of recovering a list of the victimized that was first published back in 1993. The column that contained those names was titled ‘Lean, Clean and Mean’." --- Adam Harris, Kaieteur News, June 14.
Here's a list of Customs officers whom the PPP had dismissed shortly after assuming office in 1992:
1 Clarence Chue (Comptroller), 2 Harold Bahadur (African), 3 Lorice Blliam Holder, 5 Patrick Hyman, 6 Douglas Linton, 7 Ayola Issacs, 8 Walter Roberts, 9 Rose Kirton, 10 Lawrence Dundas, 11 Brentnol Hickens, 12 Christopher Mathias, 13 Shelly Brian, 14 Paul Prescod, 15 Michelle Mathias, 16 Georgiana Patrick Roberts, 17 Steven Daniels, 18 Hatty-Ann Scotland, 19 Yonette Austin, 20 Richard Prince, 21 George Beaton, 22 Dexter John, 23 Watson Grey, 24 Assaye Greenidge, 25 Gordon Watson, 26 Rhonda Glad, 27 Rayanne Van Lewin, 28 Paula Caleb, 29 Ewart Austin, 30 Howard Paul, 31 Karen Bobb-Semple
32 Simone Herod, 33 Fitzroy Thomas, 34 Paula Sampson, 35 Vanita Bovell, 36 Keon Price, 37 John Cameron, 38 Julian George, 39 Colin Moore, 40 Dawne Benn, 41 Gem Callender (demoted) and 42 Jackie Payne (demoted).
In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the PPP witch-hunted the following:
Ronald Austin, Arnon Adams, John Hutson, David Hales, James Matheson, Rawle Lucas, Aubrey Norton, Cedric Grant, Paulette James, Sharon Collins, Donna Culpepper, Janice Benfield, O. McMillian, Colin Davies, Frank Goodman and Elizabeth Kingston.
[Kaieteur News, June 11]
Guyanese are vengeful people. It was timely that we had a glimpse of oil. Soon dashed by the Venezuelans. We have so much and we doan pay heed to it. And foreigners rob us of it.
There is no healing for Guyana. It bleeds us all. We all runaway from her. Beating the drums of what we can be-Guyana sons and daughters.
We are lost FORVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.