On the hustings, parties feel they can “talk fat” and make all sorts of outlandish – or even out-of-this-world – promises! because it’s all in the future!! But is it? What about matters that are happening in the present that affect the interests of voters?? Shouldn’t they take a stand to signal they care??Take, for instance, the American flotilla of warships and troops deployed off Venezuelan waters in their renewed “War on Drugs”. This happenstance concerns the Guyanese people (the voters!) in so many ways!!
Shall we count them?? There’re the drugs themselves that are to be transshipped up north. We know from bitter experience here and abroad that some will invariably “fall off the truck” – or now plane or submarine – to then create and feed local drug habits!! That’s our sons and daughters snorting lines of cocaine and overdosing!! Then there’s the corruption and de-professionalisation of our security apparatus and other officials who are bribed to “look the other way” – or even become involved in the “business”.
And finally there’re the geopolitical implications of choosing a side – the US that may possibly have other motives?? Well, heck, doesn’t everyone!! So do we!! Isn’t the target of the American operation the removal of Mad Maduro, who’s been waging a single-minded war against us to take over Venezuela?? Isn’t the enemy of our enemy our friend – at least in this operation since we know there ain’t no permanent friends, just permanent interests?? And survival is permanent, baby!!
So we arrive at the direct question: Why the heck haven’t the Opposition parties announced whether they support or oppose the US move?? The PPP that’s in government right now has certainly done so – right off the bat when the decision was made in Washington!! They didn’t need Secy of State Rubio’s reminder that Mad Maduro had his designs on our oil!! And this is another reason for backing the American move – the Venezuelan Border controversy!! Are the Opposition parties in agreement with T&T’s Rowley, who cussed out Kamla for following Guyana’s lead and not that hustler Ralph Gonzalves?? Is Aubrey Norton once again gonna break our historic tradition of bipartisan support against the Venezuelan wannabe conquistadors? Is Sanction Man an agent of Mad Maduro – as those US Senators have charged??
The bottom line is that here’s a chance for the madman on our western border to be taken out – like Panama’s Noriega by the elder President Bush – for the exact same drug-smuggling charge!! Noriega was tried and sentenced to 17 years in jail – and Panama’s been democratic and safe since!! If your Eyewitness were the PPP, he would point out this unpatriotic stance of the Opposition parties!!
Let Sept 1st also be a referendum on this issue!!
…PPP’s record
Today, the last batch of concrete’s gonna be poured to connect the eastern and western sections of the new Demerara Harbour Bridge!! And at long last, we’ll have 21st-century transportation connectivity between our two fastest-growing regions – 3 and 4!! The poet Keats said that “a thing of beauty is a joy forever”, and this suspension bridge – which functionally allows ships to traverse up and down river – IS a thing of beauty!!
In criticising the PPP infrastructural drive, the Opposition keeps screeching that “people can’t eat bridges”. Well, they’ll be able to EA a heck of a lot easier once the tens of thousands of passenger-filled vehicles – travelling to and from jobs – cut out at least three hours daily from frustration-wracked commutes!!
And if we wanna be fair, we can acknowledge that while there have been shortfalls and shortcomings, in five years the PPP’s already positively transformed Guyana in so many ways.
The DHB’s only the latest example!!
…bravado
Venezuelan Defence Minister Padrino announced a “significant” drone deployment – as well as naval patrols along the country’s Caribbean coast – in response to the presence of US warships and amphibious carriers with 4500 troops.
“No day canoe can bore punt!!”
