If, as they say, “two’s a couple and three’s a crowd”, your Eyewitness supposes we can say there was a “big crowd” at the PNC/APNU’s campaign meeting at Kitty Market Square!! After all, he counted ELEVEN persons – including a couple of vendors guarding their fruits and vegetables – who would’ve been listening to all the reasons why they should vote for that graffiti-laden hand!! From the newspaper account of the meeting, it appears that the speakers OUTNUMBERED the listeners!! Maybe it would’ve been more persuasive if each speaker spoke personally to a single listener? One on one – so to speak?? Pun intended!!
The paucity of Kittians showing up brought to your Eyewitness’s (febrile?) mind the relationship between numbers at campaign meetings of particular political parties and numbers who’ll vote for the said parties. Apart from the general proposition, there’s the specific instance that Kitty was the birthplace of Burnham – the PNC’s founder-leader (as he insisted he be called!)!! Aren’t there even sentimental reasons – for Auld lang syne?? – why Kittians would give the PNC a hearing?? AAAH…how the mighty has fallen in the eyes of the masses. No wonder the PPP took the seat in the Municipal Elections!!
But back to the question posed above. Your Eyewitness does verily believe that crowds at least demonstrate how organised the parties are in getting out their supporters – if they’re bussed in as alleged whenever there are big crowds. Like with the PPP’s red tsunami at their rally at the same spot. If the party could schlep bodies to meetings, they can also get them to the voting booths on Sept 1st! And, we know historically, the PPP’s always out-mobilised the PNC in getting out the votes!!
Another effect of crowds is psychological – especially when a party may already be challenged. Like with the PNC and Norton’s leadership that has driven away so many of the new blood that’s necessary to keep an out-of-power party alive. The fistful of faithful at Kitty – replicated in other strongholds – would reinforce suspicions that there’s no point in even showing up on Sept 1st!! And while the voters mightn’t vote for other parties, this translates to a larger chunk of folks staying at home.
Lastly, the effect of single-digit “crowds” on the new candidates for the PNC – and there were at least five on the stage in Kitty – has to be extremely demotivating!! Imagine they’ve entered politics from professions like law and business in which they were successful and are now confronted by abysmal failure staring them in the face!!
So yes, Dear Reader, while it may not be one-to-one, there’s a definite correlation between campaign meeting crowds and votes. And so, it sure doesn’t look too good for the PNC!!
…world trade
As US Pres Trump roils the world (including Guyana) with his unilaterally imposed tariffs – which is his right! – some may be asking where the heck is the WTO that was formed back in the day to regulate this aspect of the international order?? After all, remember when the EU was allowed to unilaterally cut our preferential price for sugar to their markets because of complaints by sugar producers like Brazil, etc – and the WTO agreed with them?? Well, as with all multilateral institutions formed after WWII – up to and including the UN – they’ve all been consigned to oblivion in the new dispensation as the US and China duke it out for bragging rights on who’s numero uno!!
It used to be said that whether elephants make love or fight, it’s the grass that suffers!! But in Trump’s tariff impositions, he’s been willing to treat some countries who thought they were mighty oaks like grass!! Like the EU that humiliated us over sugar and ruined the industry!!
Payback’s a bitch!!
…asylum
Your Eyewitness thinks the Venezuelan Embassy’s mamaguying us. Sanction Man wasn’t looking for no visa – he wanted assurances on asylum in case the US noose tightens!! Unlike with us, the US doesn’t have an extradition treaty with Venezuela!!
