Passing… old guards

The passing of Dr Rupert Roopnarine of the WPA and Dr Kumar Gunraj of the Liberator Party (LP) signals a passing of the old guard!! Now, most of your young’uns might be muttering, “Kumar who?? ”!!! But that just goes to show we’re at the cusp of a new age – one in which political types proudly identify with folks who call themselves “Scrapeheads”, boasting that everything inside their heads has been scraped out!! Meaning there’s no need to think no mo’ about what we’re doing or ought to be doing – just do whatever comes to you in the moment!! Which, generally, is to just grab whatever you want from what’s around you!! Nihilism?? Hedonism? Dunkaydam-ism? Call it what you want – but just Keep it Simple, Stupid!! KISS is it!!
So, who was Dr Gunraj?? Just an ordinary medical doctor who had it up to his throat with Burnham’s excesses – after he seized power by rigging elections and keeping the masses in line with his “disciplined forces”. Gunraj teamed up with a dentist, Dr Makepeace Richmond, in the 1970s to represent liberal democracy and a free enterprise system in the political realm. They were dubbed “rightists” for opposing the PPP, WPA and Working People’s Vanguard Party (WPVP) (led by ex-PPP leader Brindley Benn – father of the just-departed Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn) – all vied to prove who was REALLY Marxist-Leninist!! Meaning that Gunraj and Richmond were the only ones who had some sense – since all the survivors have now accepted their line!!
Gunraj and Richmond were from the “professional” class – who aren’t historically known for taking risks. But they did – and paid the price. They were joined by more professionals – who claimed they weren’t “political” but who wanted free and fair elections – calling themselves the “Compass Group”!! Two from the group were heads of huge government corporations – Pat Thompson from the Bauxite Company and Pat Carmichael from Sprostons – who had to flee to Barbados!! Gunraj left for Canada in 1984. The point – Dear Readers – is that there were plenty back then who sacrificed to get us out from under the PNC!!
Even though Rupert goes back to the 1970s with Rodney, in the present – sadly – he was the one during the COI into Rodney’s assassination who said Rodney was amassing guns to attack the state. And from that perspective, gave the PNC an arguable reason to take him out!! He and Rodney were classmates at Queens – highflyers among the highflyers and could very well be called our “best and brightest”.
But in the end, he led the charge to coalesce with Corbin/Granger’s PNC and will unfortunately be remembered for being part of a gang to subvert democracy in 2020!!

…Jump up
Ok…OK…quick now!! The Mash parades are over; the calypso, chutney and soca competitions are over; the speeches are over – including Pressie’s midnight tryst at the Public Buildings to raise our Golden Arrowhead. So, what do you remember that’s connected with us becoming a REPUBLIC?? Meaning we’re on our own in the world, masters of our fate and captains of our destiny!! Sadly, only Pressie remembered!!
As your Eyewitness has recounted, he offered a blueprint on how we’re actually gonna be allowed to do our own thing!! And your Eyewitness wants you to reflect on his use of the word “allowed”!! Pressie knows that, as we’ve been told, “no man is an island” – and so is no country, even those who’re surrounded by water. Yes, we’re a republic – but we’re a republic in a hemisphere the US declared they’re numero uno!!
And after the jump up comes the Caricom meet – with Rubio in attendance!! Pressie had declared Guyana a firm US ally!! Let’s see who won’t stand at attention!!

…the ugliness
The stench from our erstwhile betters from up north just won’t ease!! This French model-agency owner, Brunel – who facilitated Epstein’s clique’s rape and trafficking of underage girls – just committed suicide in jail.
Like Epstein, he took the coward’s way out!!