Negative images blame Editorial Guyana Chronicle April 8, 2000 FEW will doubt that the image of the country has been affected since the anti-government street troubles in Georgetown that began in December 1997 and continued into last year. Businesses were badly affected and the confidence that had been mounting in the country was dented. The street disturbances, although confined to Georgetown, raised doubts about whether the capital was a safe place to do business. The effect this has had has been noted before, including by President Bharrat Jagdeo, who acknowledged that firms have been shifting base outside Georgetown. Business people will not feel secure in any place where they fear street troubles could break out. President Jagdeo has also noted that the best interests of the country are not served, especially when some political leaders threaten all manner of dark deeds in pursuit of their own goals. The country needs to attract more investments in a hurry and those inclined to stir trouble cannot be said to be rallying to the confidence-building cause. Making political quarrel is acceptable but seeking to create discontent is clearly not. That is helping in the business of making negative images of Guyana. A fresh voice in the National Assembly, Trade, Tourism and Industry Minister, Mr Geoffrey Da Silva, has put his finger on the problem, without pointing any fingers. He did not go into details during the debate on the 2000 Budget in the National Assembly this week. But he was clear - the habit of painting negative images about Guyana can in the long run not only hurt investment prospects but the fledgling tourism industry. As he noted, the question of negative images goes beyond political partisanship, and is an issue which President Jagdeo has been continually battling. As Mr Da Silva put it: "It is a very important question. "It is actually a material factor that influences investment and other decisions (such as) whether people will come here to visit this country". Admirably, Mr Da Silva, made it clear that he was not laying blame on any particular group or political party. "I am not saying the negative image is only portrayed by one political party or any particular group. "But it is a material factor with which we must deal", he appealed. A refreshing outlook. Equally welcome was the approach by opposition People's National Congress (PNC) Parliamentarian, Mr Rafael Trotman. Agreeing with Minister Da Silva "that the image of Guyana was not so good", he believed the time had come, once and for all, "to bebunk the theory that it is the PNC which is wholly and solely responsible for whatever image this country has". Some will debate that but the point is, as Mr Da Silva correctly argues, that "if Guyana continues to be seen mainly in a negative light, it will not help anybody in this country". The issues have to be faced realistically and squarely and a ready admission of the situation is a good start upon which those really concerned can build.