…on electoral activities
Your Eyewitness has already mentioned that one reason the PNC-led Coalition government’s acting like the proverbial bull in a China shop, is they don’t give a damn about what the PPP says or do since they already have the next elections in the bag. But how can they be so sure? Have they been “wowing” their own supporters so much, they’re absolutely assured of a 2015 repeat performance? Have they bowled the PPP’s supporters over with their outreach and expect a massive “crossover vote”.
Since the answer to both is a resounding “NO!!”, we have to look elsewhere for an answer as to what’s the source of the PNC’s “spunks”. And your Eyewitness falls back on the old Sherlock Holmes maxim: “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” And since it’s impossible for the PNC to know with absolute certitude the outcome of the democratic throw of the dice come 2020, we have to accept what they have in mind is not a “democratic throw of the dice.”
And given the history of the PNC and elections in this country, this “non-democratic” option – or “rigging” – ain’t even “improbable” – it’s almost a certitude. The signs are clear- especially for those who remember how it was in the beginning when Burnham decided to rig himself back into office as early as 1966. The declassified files of the US government says so!.
Burnham decided to establish a National Registration Centre under the direction of – hear this – Minister of Home Affairs, Llewelyn John, and staffed it with all PNC loyalists. Since the voters’ List was supposed to be compiled by the Elections Commission, PPP member Janet Jagan smelled a rat and asserted the voters’ list would be illegally extracted from the National Register. PNC member Desmond Hoyte stoutly denied this. The Chairman of the Elections Commission went along because he was a PNC loyalist. Déjà vu?
The PNC started acting “big and bad” not caring even for the opinion of its junior coalition partner – the UF. Déjà vu? Janet’s suspicions were confirmed and the new voters’ list – extracted from the National Register – miraculously increased in PNC strongholds! By this time the UF knew it was “dead meat” since it’s 12% wouldn’t be needed any longer and pulled out from the coalition!
In the present, now you can understand why the Registration of births and deaths was hived off into a new Ministry of Citizenship Winston Felix – who is the new Llewelyn John. He too will be honoured!
Those who have eyes, let them see. When will the AFC?
…on law school
Your Eyewitness has a problem with this new law School’s that’s been floated, for a host of reasons. Not the least being the memory of a new Medical School that was opened in 2012 in St Lucia by a lot of “big ones” now associated with both parties in the new Government. The school had to be ignominiously closed down two years later for the usual financial shenanigans. Lots of students – including some from Guyana – were left holding the bag.
But even if the law School was on the up and up, can Guyana absorb the deluge of lawyers that’ll be produced? Folks emphasise that ONLY 25 students from UG automatically enters HWLS. But the remainder can still write an entrance exam and attend. Is money the only hurdle? If the new law school charges fees substantially less that HWLS, isn’t this going to dilute the attractiveness of the profession to attract bright students since the influx will lower salaries?
Do we want to be like Cuba where ill-trained doctors and lawyers are a dime a dozen?
…in crime
With crimes spiking most recently with the blatant armed invasion and robbery of the Cambio dealer in Berbice and now the Pouderoyen NIS office in Demerara, does our Minister of Public Security still feel all is hunky-dory in his bailiwick?
