…(political) switch
The issue of the exodus from the PNC has been well ventilated by your Eyewitness – if for no other reason than there’s been so many high-profile individuals involved – and also so many variants in destinations. On top of the destination list was the incumbent PPP – which had been actively proclaiming its “open door” policy for years. But a couple of PNC-ites chose to launch their own parties – which kinda surprised your Eyewitness since history has been quite unkind to last minute entrants. Even those with reputations (like Balram Singh Rai) – or notoriety (like Hamilton Green)!!
But the PNC didn’t only bleed – leader Norton worked assiduously to get a transfusion of new blood from other parties. But he was unsuccessful getting anyone from the PPP – as Burnham had done back in the day. He, however, snagged Bartica’s Amerindian/Portuguese Juretha Fernandes from the ailing AFC – which had been negotiating for a coalition – by catapulting her as their PM candidate!! They also absorbed the AFC’s negotiator!!
Anyhow, your Eyewitness had been looking at the party-hoppers with a dollop of cynicism – considering that the usual motive is feathering one’s nest!! So it was with some relief he read the letter from former PNC MP Jermaine Figueira as to why he was joining the PPP – after Nomination Day!! This was the same young man who’d elbowed Charrandas in Parliament when the latter gave his (in?)famous “yes” vote to the PPP’s no-confidence motion back in 2018.
In the seven years since, the young leader from Reg 10 stood out as a principled political player who took time to articulate the rationales for his actions. As he did early in the day when he shook Pres Ali’s hand when his party leader Norton refused to do so. He was a regular contributor to the letters pages of the newspapers on any number of subjects – critically interrogating the government’s positions. As chair of the Public Accounts Committee, he was also in a position to scrutinise governmental programmes.
So what did “Figgy” say convinced him to join up with the PPP?? Asserting that only the PPP, and PNC, will mater on Sept 1 – thus agreeing with your Eyewitness that the AFC’s gone for channa – he said: “But let me be frank: when it comes to the actual practice of governance formulating national policy, overseeing large-scale development, negotiating bilateral partnerships, and executing social transformation, only one of these candidates has the tested and proven experience necessary and that is President Irfaan Ali.”
So, as with so many others, it appears he agrees that while parties can announce all sorts of grandiose plans – ultimately it comes down to the character of the leader.
And he’s concluded, Ali’s the man!!
…anti-colonialism
As your Eyewitness had written, yesterday was the 100th birthday of the great analyst of colonialism– the psychiatrist, Franz Fanon. Born in French Martinique and educated in France, he was au fait with the French strategy of Mission civilisatrice – “civilising mission”. This aimed to convince the “uncivilised natives” they were “fully French” – in language and culture, etc. But Fanon saw through the technique in which the native remained an imitator!! But at long last their African colonies are finally breaking free and ending their relationship with France.
They just gave up their last base in Senegal – following February’s relinquishing of their base in Ivory Coast. In January, following coups in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali between 2020 and 2023, all of them – with “strongmen” leaders – cut ties with France and turned to Russia!! They’d lost their base in their former colonies of Chad and Central African Republic.
All they have left in Africa is Djibouti – the smallest (and saltiest!) country in Africa!! Good riddance to snooty rubbish!!
