Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Irony Abounds

The proud notice in Sunday's newspapers asked for 700 workers for a new Chinese company's venture into a (sounds like) mega-forestry venture-- apparently a wood-processing factory as opposed to the furniture/added value factory promised by an Indian company on receipt of a huge tract of land by the Government under the Champion of the Earth's rule (so I guess that one was okay and approved environmentally). While the world is slowly becoming aware of the importance of standing forests/jungles, Guyana seems hell-bent on convincing the Norwegians that they ought to hand over huge amounts of money ostensibly to prevent the forests from being cut down, to the charlatans in charge while deals are being made to cut down the said forests-- or so it seems to my simple brain! Granted that there is more traffic and people about, a hunter guy whose knowledge of the interior far exceeds mine said he has never seen the area around Linden extending to the Berbice River in such poor shape.
So apparently that Chinese are also asking for hands to construct an International Mall - and on the facing page of today's newspapers-- the Surinamese businessmen of strong 'Indian'(that is with loyalties to India) backgrounds are complaining that their businesses are hampered by traffic and limited space and are losing business to the Chinese over there whose Malls presumably have parking. The local street vendors  and the Mom and Pop stores this Christmas complained that their traditional Christmas sales fell below expected as the new Chinese stores selling sub-standard goods, as opposed to the larger stores buying the sub-standard goods from China and selling those, basically had the sales.
So where and what are the those voted to protect us doing? The main man-- the under-siege Home Affairs Minister has a strong history of benevolence towards the Chinese - I am in awe of the Chinese twenty year plan as they have been using Guyana as a stepping stone to the US since the '80's and have now decided to 'stop a while' to use a local phrase.
With the population never exceeding one million the land was always up for grabs.
In a nice ironic twist the abnormally high tides (um- you people are cutting down the trees and screwing up the climate - are you REALLY surprised?) are causing flooding on the East Coast and the aforementioned Champion builds his new palatial house right near the sea - where is the forward-planning switch in these peoples' brain? That Sunday School song about the wise man building his house upon the rocks and the foolish man building his house upon the sand just about 'fits' in this place- metaphorically and literally!

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