Once again, we’re witnessing up close and personal why the Opposition’s calls – nay, DEMANDS! – for shared governance would never get anywhere. In shared governance, the several parties that have been fighting each other tooth and nail – and even with armed gunmen! – are supposed to sit around a table and agree on how to run the country. So, here it is that the constitution – the highest law of the land – declares that, for a new Commissioner of Police (COP) to be appointed, the incumbent governing party must CONSULT with the Leader of the Opposition (LOO).
And yet, after President Ali has consulted with LOO Norton on his choice for COP – Hinken – Norton says he ain’t in agreement; and he’s gonna go to the courts!! How would we be able to run a country like this, when every government decision would be litigated?? Now, this matter is a perennial one, and maybe Loo Norton is looking at what his predecessor Granger did.
The Sanctimonious Gangster was given to announcing “criteria” when selecting top officials for the various Government and state institutions. For instance, when proffering candidates for the GECOM Chair – whereas then president, he had to consult with the PPP – he said he was looking for a person with “qualities of impartiality, integrity and intelligence”. Of course, he picked Patterson, who’d lied on his application that he was a judge!!
For a new top Cop, Granger went back to his “criteria” schtick and declared the person had to be “unbribable” – and he would submit his shortlist to a “test”! So far, so good. Tests are good, no? But even before the test was applied, there was the matter of how he came up with his “shortlist”, when he excluded the man acting in the position and the one with the most seniority in the top ranks – David Ramnarine.
Pressed on this issue, he claimed he had “specific” reasons – but which he wouldn’t divulge!! This being Guyana, the chatterati, of course, immediately flew into a frenzy of speculation – and Ramnarine’s name became mud!!
After raising a cockamamie story about some assassination plot, Granger shook up the entire GPF top brass and remade it in his image!!
So, could Norton at least come up with some criteria by which he’s rejecting Hicken?? All he’s said is “several allegations have been levelled against Mr. Hicken over the years…(and) there should be any talking about appointing a Commissioner of Police amidst all these allegations of corruption within the Guyana Police Force.”!! What this is doing is to unfairly cast a cloud of suspicion on Hicken…shades of Granger and Ramnarine!!
Norton’s also questioning whether he was properly “consulted”, and seems to think he has a veto!!
…for dealing with crises
Now, nobody says democracy is easy; in fact, it can be quite messy. As Churchill once observed, “Democracy is the worst form of Government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time”!! And that’s the truth, innit?
First, we had monarchies – coming out of the might-is-right beginnings of society. Didn’t work. After democracy became ascendant in the 19th century, we had the communist experiment of the Soviet Union; then the fascist diversions of Hitler and Mussolini. Neither proved to be any improvement on democracy.
Well, some are looking at the rise of China in the last four decades, and especially in the way it has not only lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, but also how it is creeping up to become the world’s largest economy.
But the dilemma that’s posed for countries like ours, that experienced the trampling of our fundamental human rights, is the violation of our human spirit.
Are we willing to pay this price? Your Eyewitness thinks not.
…for effective Local Content
The Government’s tightening the criteria for furriners displacing Guyanese from enjoying the benefits from our Local Content legislation – which sets percentage participation for our locals. The latest was to head them off using the “naturalization” route!!
