In “Don’t Tell Me,“ (below), Attorney-at-Law, former Prime Minister and First Vice President Moses V. Nagamootoo delivers a pointed reflection on Guyana’s political and economic trajectory in the oil era. The poem laments what the author portrays as the normalization of corruption, the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a privileged few, and the erosion of accountability despite the country’s unprecedented oil revenues.

Through the repeated refrain, “Don’t tell me,” Nagamootoo suggests that the warning signs of corruption, cronyism and inequality have long been visible and should not come as a surprise. He contrasts lavish public spending, alleged scandals and displays of wealth with the continued hardship faced by ordinary Guyanese, while expressing concern over the use of state power, fear, and intimidation.

The poem also serves as a patriotic appeal, warning against the exploitation or surrender of Guyana’s natural resources—including its oil, gas, forests and minerals—and urging that the country’s sovereignty be protected from undue foreign influence. Ultimately, it is both a political critique and a call for transparency, justice and responsible stewardship of Guyana’s national wealth for the benefit of all its citizens.