… (AFC) support
Khemraj Ramjattan, the Security Minister who is also a VP, has a way with words. He has introduced into the political lexicon two pithy phrases that caught the attention of the country — especially the average Joe Blow in the streets. These are “Haul yuh ass!” and “Dead Meat!” The first was directed at those he thought were trying to get a raise out of him, and he didn’t seem to realise that the expression signalled his interlocutors had succeeded!
After all, the expression didn’t exactly lend credence to his struggle to slough off his reputation as a fella more at ease in the bars across the country than THE BAR at which lawyers ply their trade!! The second — “dead meat” — was much more profound politically. When the suggestion was made for the AFC and the PNC-disguised APNU to coalesce and go into the 2015 elections joined at the hip, Ramjattan immediately came out against it.
He predicted the “AFC would become ‘dead meat’ if that were to occur!” There were two reasons for his opposition. The first sounded very principled and all: that the AFC was formed on the principle that never would it join one or the other political behemoths of Guyana! A “pox on both houses” was the principle, so to speak, based on the declaration that they were both race-based; and the AFC, with a halo floating over its head, was “multiracial”!
But “lo and behold” — as they used to say back in the day when frankincense and myrrh were the latest thing — Ramjattan did an about-face, and joined Trotman to say the AFC would now “lead” a coalition to oust the PPP! What we now know is that he, Ramjattan, didn’t know that Trotman and PNC leader David Granger had met in the sun and surf of Nassau, Bahamas and had already worked out a deal! But the AFC did join the PNC/APNU, and the rest, as they say, is history.
That ‘rest” of course, was a litany of one embarrassment after another for the AFC in general and Ramjattan and Nagamootoo in particular. The AFC just did not LEAD any coalition – they were reduced to being mere “water boys”; well paid water boys, but water boys! And as the humiliations and side-lining mounted, the AFC support base dwindled, especially when the Government decided to throw sugar under the bus.
Nagamootoo and Ramjattan’s fervent defence of Prezzie’s unilateral appointment of (Chief?) Justice Patterson was the last straw to their remaining supporters. The Canadian support groups dumping them is only the public display of what is already reality.
The AFC is dead meat!!
…Chronic’s credibility
Your Eyewitness is quite pessimistic about what lies ahead. One of the reasons is because of the stance taken by the Chronic, which is the STATE newspaper, and is supposed to represent ALL views. In a story captioned “PM condemns racist statements – linked to GECOM appointment”, it traduced every rule of Journalism in a paradigmatic example of “false equivalence”. It claimed the PM’s utterances were occasioned by a “battle of words” between ACDA and IAC.
What were the facts? The Chronic quoted ACDA as claiming several civil society groups “showed their true colours,” but didn’t mention it also announced: “The recent Constitutional appointment by His Excellency David Arthur Granger has publicly revealed what Africans in Guyana and the Caribbean all know. Indians do not want to be ruled by an African Leader because they believe they are superior to Africans.”
Reacting to the above, IAC said, as quoted by the Chronic, “The IAC rejects any attempt to instigate a racially charged atmosphere…”
This is a “battle of words”?? Woe to Guyana!
…street cred
The police are charging BUS DRIVERS for tinted vehicles? What about the owners?? After all, drivers can’t unilaterally tint someone else’s vehicles, can they?
Is it because, as word on the street has it, the buses are owned by some Police big ones?
