Over the past few weeks, Political Analysts Dr David Hinds, Ruel Johnson and Freddie Kissoon have been trying very hard to convince the populace that the opposition Peoples Progressive Party should never be allowed to govern Guyana again. And while this has been the centerpiece and underlying theme of all of their writings since the 2015 elections, they appear convinced now more than ever that an electoral defeat may be looming for the coalition, unless it makes significant U-turn on key areas of public policy and development, especially where it is clear that the coalition is pursuing obvious politically and personally selfish objectives.
As a result, all three personalities have been using their various personal, professional, social media and political platforms to sway public opinion in favour of the coalition Government, which is panting for breath to stay alive in midst of several self-made disasters and catastrophes. We all know the individual histories of these writers, which have been dominated by their tales of discrimination and disenfranchisement allegedly ordered by the leaders of the PPP. We all know that their writings are informed not by reality or diverse socioeconomic history of this country, but by jealousy, vengeance, and hatred for personalities within the leadership of the PPP.
So, in order to make sure that they settle personal scores with these individuals, the trio continues to fuel the ‘prosecute and jail’ narrative. They are also peddling the view that the coalition Government is ‘not as bad’ as the PPP, whom they alleged mismanaged Guyana for 23 years and stole almost everything that it could. These personalities have also gone to great lengths in their diatribe of writings to paint the PPP and its politicians as racist demigods who have only the interests of East Indian Guyanese at heart. And those who support the PPP publicly or privately on any issue fall prey to the wicked and dishonest ink flowing from their pens, unless they join the Government bandwagon or cease being a “slimey eel”.
Like many coalition converts and those who are currently on Government’s secret payroll (former media independents), they are quick to justify this Government’s wrongdoings while sympathizing with it principals, because apparently the PPP did worse, and the coalition will get it right after a few mistakes. They also have developed the despicable pattern of using thirty per cent of their writings to purportedly criticise the coalition and give it advice while the seventy per cent is used to damage and defame the PPP in order to praise the Govt for doing what all Govts are supposed to do anyway.
One would have thought that their writings and heavily biased narratives would by now have convinced their large followings and the public that the PPP is evil, and cannot change while some personalities continue at its helm. Guyanese should be boycotting all opposition-sponsored events too, given the continuous venomous writings and criticisms of this trio, which supplements the dirty and less-than-factual work done by the Government’s Department of Public Information. Also, Guyanese are supposed to still feel ecstatic about President Granger’s ability to transform Guyana into the golden age with a modern economy. Guyanese, if they believed Freddie and David in particular, should be demanding action on Pradoville and the full implementation of all of the CoIs done to fix the broken institutions left and compromised by the PPP.
But sadly, this is period of enlightenment. And Guyanese are intelligent politically. They see through the misguided and biased rants of personalities like Dr Hinds, Kissoon and Johnson. They know the kind of Government they had under the PPP. They know what the APNU/AFC politicians promised, and the stark difference that they are seeing now. And try as hard as they may to cast blame for their missteps over the past 24 months, the people know that certain Government Ministers are incompetent. The people know, too, that the coalition is failing in every area that the PPP easily succeeded.
Also, Guyanese know that life is anything but good under President Granger’s fist. They see declining freedoms, jail breaks, poorly-thought-out laws, poorly performing and drunk Ministers and public officials, empty bread baskets, and increased taxation. They see the betrayal of those minority partners in the coalition. Oh, and they see the reward the AFC has reaped for selling its soul to the PNC.
The truth is: unless this trio admits that there were merits associated with the PPP while it governed over 23 years, no one will take them seriously. The PPP did far more for Guyana than other post-independence party can claim. In fact, the APNU/AFC coalition is benefiting from many of the PPP’s ideas and programmes left back in 2015.
The trio must end this futile attempt to ram the politics of the coalition down our throats. We want solutions to bread-and-butter issues, the insufferable blackout situation, jobs, independent police reforms, and a judiciary that works. We care about national unity and ensuring that the party that has the best vision leads…the coalition appears to be strengthening the PPP’s appeal deliberately. Citizens are not fooled by the President’s sudden fascination with reforming the Police Force; refusal to appoint a GECOM Chair; purported manipulation of the army, and other deliberate acts. They will rally against any attempt to rig the 2020 elections.
