…the propaganda machine
When you think of it, 2020 ain’t so far away. And from developments within the APNU/AFC camp, where they’re getting ready for the Big Heist, they’re not taking any chances. As your ears-to-the-ground Eyewitness alerted you, there’s gonna be all sorts of reasons thrown out to justify pushing the elections into 2021.
Anyhow, on the election front, they’re all kinds of signs popping up reminiscent of 1992 – like delayed electors’ list etc…to gather the faithful and ensure they come out and get their finger black for the Party. Before 1992, of course, it didn’t matter. In the referendum on the new Constitution in 1978, for instance – maybe 15 per cent at max turned out but the PNC rigging-centre announced a 70 per cent turnout and 97 per cent majority!!
There are some delusional folks who think the present PNC-led APNU/AFC coalition’s incessant stream of political faux pas will lose them some votes! Ha!! If after the destruction and indignities the PNC heaped on their supporters’ heads by 1992, they received the same 42 per cent they’d collected in 1964, what’s gonna be different today? They’re in power and all the pork barrel the PNC couldn’t trot out in 1992 are now available.
Land for farming in traditional villages? Sure…why not? In fact, throw in scads of agricultural equipment to prepare the land! Jobs for the faithful? Sure…who cares about optics!! Scholarships…why not? Bridge across the Demerara River to West Bank? Hey! Just look at the plans! And since folks always view their lot comparatively, why not destroy sugar and rice to ensure the bar for the “good life” isn’t set too high??!!
But for all of those actions on the ground, if the message isn’t sent out to the troops, it’s all for naught. And this is where the announcement a few months ago to subsume GINA within the Department of Public Information (DPI) – an APNU innovation – is now going full steam ahead. There’s an ad in the dailies to EXPAND the facilities of the new outfit – which will see the PM’s water boy, now totally in charge of the new unified propaganda arm.
Expect to see the Chronic shaken and stirred so that the Master’s Voice, and ONLY the Master’s Voice, is disseminated. When the “merger” was announced back in May, PM Nagamootoo, nominally in charge of Information, said the Opposition would get coverage. Quick now, have you ever seen the State media cover, let’s say, the Opposition leader’s press conference?
That’s a portent of the new order. If you want to get the details, just read what the PNC did to freedom of information after their “Declaration of Sophia” in 1974!!
“Muzzle” isn’t the word!!
…on land
One of the aforementioned boondoggles – the land issue – has confused some. And that’s because they haven’t listened to the Government’s spokespersons on the issue – as your faithful Eyewitness did. Land, you see, is a guarantor of “intergenerational wealth”. And so the supporters must get land. Never mind Guyana has had land in coming out of its kazoos ever since Schomberg demarcated our borders back in 1841. Not much “intergenerational wealth” for us Guyanese since then!
What we do know is a helluva lot of wealth was carted off to Britain by the British, who used our labour to cultivate the said land and sell the products for a big profit. So, you’d think by now, the Government spoke persons would wise up to the truth that it’s not how big your plot of land is? It’s what you do with it!!
But not this lot. They’ve already forgotten all the land Burnham have out to the co-ops – complete with tractors, etc.
But what the heck? It’s all about the votes, no?
…the local accent
Lincoln Lewis, the new feudal landlord of Kingelly Village, disputed the claim of some 150 residents to the land. He claimed these outsiders said, “Black man nah own land here”.
Shouldn’t that be, “Black man nah own lan’ ya”?
