Monkey see Monkey do: Corbin writes the Presidnet first, the others copy

February 4, 2008

His Excellency the President

Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Office of the President

New Garden Street,

Georgetown.

Dear Mr. President,

Our country is entering into a dangerous state of crisis such that we believe could spiral us out of control and into eventual failure and collapse if there are not some urgent and decisive interventions made immediately. We believe that the responsibility rests on all leaders to avoid such an outcome but rests most on your shoulders. It is obvious that a group of Guyanese or non-state actors have decided to defy the authority of the State and are prepared to unleash unprecedented mayhem in our society as witnessed on Saturday January 26, 2007 in Lusignan, East Coast Demerara. This is a serious problem that has serious consequences for the national security, cohesiveness, and viability of the State of Guyana and cannot be left unattended. The recent events cannot be dismissed as mere criminal activity coming from any particular enclave of our society.

We are disturbed that the emphasis appears now to be on blame throwing amongst political leaders while people continue to feel pain and insecurity. In these circumstances, we call on you to present to the nation a new national security plan with clear deliverables and timeframes for implementation by Friday 8^th February, 2008, which addresses, in addition to the other ills in our society, the phenomenon of an emerging insurgency and other security maladies. This plan needs to be unveiled as a matter of urgency. Secondly, as a natural sequence of events, we believe it important that the Government facilitates the convening of a conference on Governance and the Transformation of the State within one month’s time by bringing together national stake-holders who will be aided by trained facilitators, to commence the discussion. This issue cannot be postponed any longer.

We remain ready, willing and able to assist the Government and all people of Guyana and we feel that our assistance can best be effected through the processes outlined above. We will avail ourselves to meet with your Government along with others, to settle the modalities of our request and expect that these requests will not be treated with scant regard.

Sincerely,

Raphael Trotman Paul Hardy

Leader-Alliance For Change Leader-Guyana Action Party