…the PNC is reborn
Your Eyewitness has been bemoaning the absence of a declaration of an ideological orientation in the government in general and the PNC in particular, even before they became the government. An ideology, dear reader, explains the goings on in the world from a particular perspective and at the same time suggests how to act in that world to achieve one’s goals. So the government’s actions can be predicted.
Well, finally, we’ve been enlightened by no one other than the present leader of that party – Brigadier David Granger – President of Guyana. The PNC’s ideology is that the Founder-Leader of the PNC, LFS Burnham – who unfurled it between 1964 and 1985. Now the explanation for everything that the government has been doing since May 2015 is clear…it is as Burnham would’ve ordered it.
And “order” was the key of Burnham’s ideology. As far as governance is concerned he announced in his famous “Declaration of Sophia” in 1974 that the PNC was “paramount” over the government. None of this beating about the bush, he declared. Since it’s the party that forms the government then by that fact alone, the party determines the flavour and trajectory of what the government does.
None of this confusion about whether the egg or the chicken came first when it comes to government: the party gives birth to the government and ontologically they’re one and the same. So now we can understand why the government gives short shrift – actually NO shrift! – to the inputs of the Opposition. Burnham didn’t have any truck with the British insistence that the Opposition could influence government’s policies: he merely genuflected to them.
For instance, to the Constitutional stipulation that he “consult” with the Opposition Leader (Jagan in those days) on say, certain appointments, he’d merely call Jagan on the phone, ask him about the weather or some such thing – and insist he had consulted!! Reminds you of how the PPP’s being treated today? Now you know why!
This ideological insistence that the party knows best, didn’t only make an Opposition irrelevant – it also made coalition partners both irrelevant and a botheration. Forced to remove the PPP through a coalition with the UF, Burnham treated the leader of the UF, Peter D’Aguiar so shabbily that he quit before the term was up. Reminds you of what happened to the AFC – who helped to remove this PPP government – after the elections?
As insurance, Burnham both out some UF MPs. Has the same been already done to some AFC’s MPs? But don’t expect the present coalition partner leaders to quit.
Unlike D’Aguiar, they need the gravy train!
…snubbing the GPSU
Back when the first PPP government was being removed by the US – via their clients the PNC and UF – the Public Servants played a critical role. But once the PNC got into power all the explicit promises about salary increases went out the window!! Sounds familiar? The excuse offered then is the same as today – the treasury just didn’t have the money! But it found the money for the Founder Leader to be jetting off into the blue yonder at the drop of a hat. He had to burnish his Third World “progressive” image! As it was found for Ministerial 50% raises.
So we have the GPSU rejecting the PNC government’s (like the UF, the AFC are neutered, remember?) “absurd” 10% offer on wage increases. But it’s the GPSU’s leadership’s thinking that’s absurd – just like in the days of yore.
The PNC figures they’ve nowhere to go. Bet you they don’t go on strike!
…and due diligence
It was announced with great fanfare that GoInvest will be conducting serious due diligence on foreign investors. So who’ll be doing even a cursory check – much less due diligence – on the Founder Leader’s son-in-law Baby Jesus and his foray into buying and selling fuel?
