One house…

…for all Presidents?

t’s been said in one of the holy books: “there are many rooms in my father’s mansion”. But then they were referring to Heaven, which, if it contains the billions who’d been “saved”, obviously had to be very commodious! Some feel, however, that the “many rooms” reference was an allusion to the “father’s mansion” being able to accommodate many – possibly conflicting – points of view.

 Evidently, speaking from this latter perspective on this Red House saga that’s threatening to tear the body politics apart, Prezzie pronounced that the structure has “many rooms” and should be able to hold the papers of Burnham and Jagan. Not so incidentally, let’s get distracted with chatter about the papers of “all the Presidents”, dear reader. This is about “Jagan and Burnham”, OK?

 Seems that in the negotiations about the “peppercorn” lease on Red House, while the PPP’s side had proposed the lease could be reduced from 99 years and the rent increased, the PNC had countered with the “many Presidents” gambit as their Solomonic offer. While no one got back to the PPP on their offer, the PPP lost no time on pronouncing judgment on the PNC’s: “To associate Red House with Burnham, Hoyte and perhaps later Granger would be a historical misnomer and contrary to the progressive anti-colonial and anti-imperialist ideas, thoughts and memories associated with Cheddi Jagan.”

 THIS phrasing of the “rooms of Red House” argument advancing the incommensurability of Jagan and Burnham’s “ideas” didn’t go down with the Government. Said Prezzie: “It is not a question of law…it is not a question about right, this is the mentality which is driving the battle of Kamana Court – somebody is accusing persons who do not belong to one party of contamination. I find that offensive!”

Now, while the PPP’s language was rather pointed, was it so “disrespectful” as to cause Prezzie to summarily throw the PPP out on their ears from Red House – and consequently, also throwing down a gauntlet to them? After all, the phraseology is rather redolent of the vocabulary of Jagan in his heyday –but that’s the whole point, isn’t it? Jagan and Burnham never saw eye to eye on ideology: remember them accusing each of being “Bolsheviks and Mensheviks”?

 In fact, when Prezzie took pains to label Red House, “Kamana Court” (really??!!) he conceded the identification of “Red” House with the “red” Jagan! While the colour of the house might’ve been serendipitous for the PPP, would Burnham really want his papers to be cheek and jowl with red Cheddi’s? Burnham had a royalist bent.

 Your Eyewitness thinks he’d prefer a “Purple House”. That was his colour – the colour of kings!

…and two chambers

Speaking about Burnham, your Eyewitness is rather taken aback by the lack of subtlety displayed by the PNC (yes, PNC) in the ongoing Red House and Pradoville 2 capers. When going after his opponents, Burnham’s guiding precept was, “there are many ways to skin a cat”. And you don’t use the one that gratuitously exposes your hand. Yet hot on the heels of bouncers with “Ministry of the Presidency” tags defacing Red House, comes the announcement that the Special Prosecutors for the Pradoville pursuit are all from the Chambers of two top Government Ministers!!

The Founder Leader would’ve never been this obvious. Especially when that pesky PPP fella, Nandlall, had been educating the nation on the legalities in Special Prosecutors’ appointment. To wit – while Special Prosecutors can be appointed – it must be by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). And if, as in this case, there’s a conflict of interest, the Director recuses herself, then the appointment’s done by the DPP’s office.

But NEVER, NEVER should’ve THEY come from the chambers of Government Ministers!! Subtlety, fellas, subtlety!

…one flock

The reticence by the two self-professed “Jaganites” in the Government has been dubbed by wags as the “Silence of the sheep”.

But surely even those unfortunate souls bleated as the scalpel was wielded?