Dear Editor,

A letter writer to your newspaper, Mr Dhanpaul Mangru says, `The PPP has to take responsibility for the state of the country.' [ please note: link provided by LOSP web site ] His arguments come straight out of the anti-PPP manual that so many supporters of ROAR reproduce. For example, his main point is that the PPP did not protect Indians during the post election period.

The PPP government is not shying away from responsibility for solving the problems of this country. The incumbent government was democratically elected to govern this country and they intend to do. The PPP has never abdicated its responsibilities and shall never do so; neither will that party use the working class for opportunistic gains.

All that ROAR has given the Guyanese people are broken promises and intellectual unworkable solutions. They promised to create jobs for Guyanese using information technology. Where are the jobs? They promised to take action to defend Indians. Where is the defence? Mr Dev's push for federalism based on ethnic demographics will push this country down the road of civil war and entrench further division. He wants the country to be divided into four republics: Demerara, Berbice, Essequibo and Rupununi. Since Indians have the majority in all but Rupununi, we will have an Indian-dominated confederation with Amerindians holding the majority in the hinterland and Blacks being left totally out in the cold, cold. This is what Mr Mangru means when they speak about protection of Indians.

I ask all of those who accept ROAR's mantra to ask themselves what were the alternatives open to the PPP during the post-election period. We had a political problem and it had to be solved primarily by political means. And this was done. When the history of this country is written - long after Mr Mangru and I are gone from this world - the name of President Bharrat Jagdeo will be immortalized like the saints in heaven. Nobody has given this young man the credit he deserves. He saved this country from civil war and instead all he gets in return are unwarranted criticism and abuse.

It was very easy for Mr Ravi Dev to go on television and tell Indians to stand up and defend themselves. What he did not tell them was stand up and do what, or how exactly to defend themselves. Talk is cheap.

President Bharrat Jagdeo refused to take this country down the road to civil war. He opted for dialogue. For that he is seen as capitulating to the opposition. Well history will vindicate him. This brave and courageous young man needs to be given support. Mr Bharrat Jagdeo took responsibility. He said to Guyana, I will show you what responsibility for a nation means.

Taking responsibility and casting blame are two different things, which Mr Mangru fails to grasp. You cannot solve problems if you do no know their causes. It is like trying to drive a car without fuel by forgetting that it runs on petrol. Taking responsibility involves analyzing causative factors. The PPP takes responsibility for the future of this country; but they are aware of the reasons for our difficulties and how best to address them. We live in a world where people want quick fixes. Sorry folks, the road to development is no fast food joint.