All… in the family

Your Eyewitness – looking for a statement from WIN’s execs on their present contretemps or any Opposition business – could be forgiven for wondering whether he should contact the party secretariat (?) or simply call the Mohameds!! Sanction Man speaks; Big Sissie speaks; Lil Sissie writes and Daady cusss out!! Their ever-increasing public utterances increasingly resemble a (noisy) family affair and one wonders, for example, where’s the once garrulous, bounteous General Secretary?? Perhaps waiting to be introduced – again??
The latest utterance has been a letter from Lil Sissie, “Jagdeo’s political desperation and the PPP’s fear of a changing Guyana,” – which delivers an energetic sermon about accountability, concentrated power, tolerance of dissent and democratic institutions!! Whew!! Those are admirable principles – but your Eyewitness eagerly awaits their application within walking distance of their home!! Because the question practically screams – when will Guyanese hear an ELECTED leadership speaking for the major opposition party rather than from a family the US charges collected their wealth illegally!!
“We Invest in Nationhood” (WIN) was an ambitious name – but your Eyewitness wonders what those who voted for the party now think about “We Invest in Next-of-Kin” (WINK)??!! Now of course, relatives got every right to participate in politics – but how can Big Sissie just declare herself, “Director of Political Affairs”??!! Sharing a surname disqualifies nobody from public service but how can a party claiming to be fighting for democracy be taken seriously when no executive has a voice??
Where are the party voices explaining economic policy, parliamentary strategy, local organisation and the party’s internal decisions? And not show-up as backdrops to the Sissies defending Sanction Man’s increasingly bizarre actions!! We don’t need no constitutional commission, do we?? Just trot out the executive and let them speak!!
The irony becomes especially rich when WIN’s defenders lecture the older parties about confusing political leadership with ownership!! After all, political parties belong to their members – members with voices – not cheerleaders applauding announcements from the proprietors!! We’ve experienced the personality cults before – and should be wary when political newbies arrive replicating the old order – with relatives as their vanguard!!
Now even if Lil Sissie is right about Jagdeo worrying about WIN – that’s just him performing his PPP GS role – but tells us nothing about WIN’s internal democracy!! The party can answer the criticism easily enough – just show the membership exercising authority; show the executive making decisions – and let supposedly elected Executives speak with substance and independence!! Until then, the democratic preaching comes soaked with hypocrisy – all are invited to help change Guyana, but the microphone firmly remain family property!!
Democracy begins at home, WIN says – but the challenge is getting it through the front gate!!

…need a plan
President Trump blames immigration for France’s riots and maybe there’s a lesson for us there – that at least, economic expansion requires social planning. Importing workers with expectations that even Guyanese haven’t fulfilled can generate tensions that prosperity alone ain’t gonna resolve!!
Sure we need additional labour – but recruitment should answer demonstrated shortages and employers benefiting should arrange accommodation, respect labour standards – and help train Guyanese!! Like with indentureship, immigration shouldn’t become an excuse for keeping wages low!1 then, we should get regular figures on arrivals, departures, work permits and settlement since silence leaves room for rumours about jobs, crime and electoral manipulation – combustible material in our divided political landscape.
Security screening gotta be rigorous; wrongdoing should be judged individually and nationality can’t substitute for evidence!! So yes…your Eyewitness thinks we can welcome migrants – but manage the numbers and enforce rules!!
We can’t invite people to build the new Guyana – then act surprised when they were never informed about what’s expected of them!!

…carried away
At a rally in São Paulo, on Sunday, Bolsonaro supporters carried a huge inflatable missile, with the words, “Trump Nuke Brazil,” written on the side in English.
Should we start worrying how this kinda thinking may affect our relations??