Your Eyewitness just can’t win. All he asked the Big Guy up there was that we get some relief from argumentation during these 12 days of Christmas. But here it is on the 5th day, and rather than getting “five golden rings” to add to the “4 Calling Birds; 3 French Hens; 2 Turtle Doves and that Partridge in a Pear Tree”, he got five varieties of heartburn from the usual spoilsports who’ve taken up cudgels on our behalf. Don’t these folks have a life? Even if, like your Eyewitness, they see all this Christmas malarkey as “opium of the masses”, can’t they just lighten up for a while to accommodate those of their sisters and brothers who like an infusion of “opium” at this time?
Now, don’t get your Eyewitness wrong. He’s all for citizens from “civil society” to keep their eyes on the Government – even though we devised a political system that creates an Opposition to do that job!! Remember? We’re supposed to have REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. That is, having other things to do – like making a living so that taxes can be paid to fund the Government’s activities – we’ve elected representatives to both “govern” (the majority of Representatives) and “keep the Government in line” – (the minority of Representatives).
But power being what it is, there are never too many eyes to watch the Governments!! Hence Civil Society groups like churches, trade unions, special interest groups etc etc. having particular interests, can collectively get a lot of citizens to know what the Government might be doing that adversely affects our interest. Now, some may say that there’s already the media, that was born at the same time as democratic Government – to do that job. But hey!! The more the merrier, no?
But Jeez…don’t these Civil Society groups know it’s not civil to rile up folks at this time of the year? Season to be MERRY!! Look at those insisting the Government put a halt on constructing the NEW Demerara Harbour Bridge – because there hasn’t been an Environmental Impact Assessment done. Now, this new DHB was proposed over a decade ago…how come these watchdogs – or their predecessors – hadn’t been demanding EIAs before? The floating Bridge is decades past its expiration date…not to mention traffic across it had increased at least ten times since! So, the poor commuters are to wait another decade?
Look…whatever effect the new Bridge will have on the RIVER is gonna be less than what the present one has. So when the latter is removed for the former, the impact will be neutral!!
OK…maybe your Eyewitness is simplistic. But can’t this wait till AFTER THE New Year?
…charging Jordan
Then there was the slapping of a charge of criminal misconduct in Public Office on ex-Finance Minister Winston Jordan. We already had this play out in the Courts – involving attempted handcuffing with Jordan’s blood pressure going through the roof and requiring his hospitalisation!! Basically, there was a whole lot of back-and-forthing – even in the Courts – about a wharf NICL under PPP was selling to BK (who hadn’t even paid the lease or use it for its specified purpose).
NICIL – now under the PNC – has made BK (who’s now a PNC financier!) another offer. BK pays just 10% of this amount, but Jordan signs over the wharf to BK, stating explicitly that all charges had been paid!! The state lost BILLIONS!! If this wasn’t criminal, what is?? But Jeez, couldn’t the charge wait another week? All it did was offer the new PNC Leader an opportunity to flaunt his trademark truculence! And rile up some folks, who had to work up themselves into righteous indignation.
And ruin their holidays!
…when it rains
Even though your Eyewitness isn’t a “town man” – who was drowned under the latest floods, he’s been singing “Rain rain go away, come again another day.”
Schadenfreude isn’t his thing during the holidays! Be merry is his cry!!
