Back in the day, Britain’s imperialist chronicler Kipling had pronounced: “East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet”. While his gaze was wider than your Eyewitness’, last Sunday in Guyana, it was the PPP in the East and PNC in the West with their elections rallies – with the latter not only trying the MEET the former but actually BEAT them!! So, what was learnt from Sunday’s forays??
They say the Wise Men came from the East so your Eyewitness will begin with Pres Ali carrying the PPP banner to the land of the party’s founder – Cheddi Jagan. He’d brought the ideology of communism to presumably deliver the promised gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Now Pres Ali has been at the helm of Guyana for five years – as oil revenues flowed in increasingly larger streams. So, all he had to do was mention some of what’d been achieved and what’s coming down the pike – if he’s reelected for another five years!!
There was notably the PPP’s resuscitation of the Rose Hall Sugar Estate – which had been shuttered by the PNC back in 2017. That, of course, was a good entry point – since Berbicians had been betrayed by their countrymen Naga Man and RamJhaat who’d hooked up with the PNC – that they’d boost sugar!! Now while sugar hasn’t been exactly setting the world afire, Pressie could point out it certainly wasn’t for want of his govt trying!!
He then elaborated on the Happy Days that lay ahead for Berbice: the second oil and gas hub; a new power plant and AI Centre; a deep-water port linking Northern Brazil and the rest of the Caribbean; the expansion of rice; crop insurance etc, etc. Pointedly, Pressie reminded the massive throng that unlike 2015 when they split their vote, this time he wanted the old 55,000 to ensure no minority govt!!
Over in the West at Melanie, PNC leader Norton faced a decent turnout – all things considered. His main point was to promise “truth in govt”. In the opinion of your Eyewitness, while positive it would’ve been more believable if he’d announced he was gonna release the PNC’s 2020 SOP’s as a mark of good faith!! He did go on (and on!!) about all the house lots he was gonna be delivering – but against the background of the PPP surpassing their promise of 50,000 in the five years since 2020, it was hard to make an impression!!
He did mention a “house repairs program” – but not the rent-to-buy-later scheme that had been earlier touted!! There was the “cash transfer” program adopted from his WPA coalition partner but he still didn’t address VP Jagdeo’s contention that the program would bankrupt Guyana!! As Burnham had done!!
…of sleepers
During the Cold War, tales of “sleepers” of the USSR were rampant. These were individuals planted by the Ruskies in all levels of American government etc who would act at the USSR’s behest when called upon. When Burnham massively increased the Disciplined Forces, he explicitly announced that while they had to support his PNC government – it was their decision on future governments!!
The PPP has therefore had to be extremely wary about where the incumbents’ loyalties lay. The appearance of Retired Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Williams on Norton’s platform at Melanie demonstrated that the wariness is justified. Williams had been promoted to Deputy Commissioner by then President David Granger in 2018 – and interviewed for the Commissioner of Police post. The incoming PPP govt sent him on his accumulated leave in 2020 – and he was succeeded by the incumbents.
Williams bluntly declared his loyalies: “I couldn’t wait to finish my term to step up as a leader!! He discouraged youths from adopting the name “Scrapes’.
…of PNC’s destruction
New ferries are coming from Greece – following those from China and India. Back in 1878, Sprostons’ built our first ferry while Malali and Torani were built there in the 1960s – before Burnham destroyed it as GNIC!
