…to start dialogue
To no one’s surprise, David Granger slapped away President Ali’s outstretched hand in the latter’s proposal that all the living Presidents meet informally over lunch, “to share ideas, and work out a model and a framework on engagements in the future”. He has said there wasn’t an agenda, and that outstanding challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and “dismissals in public servants and human rights violations” had to be fixed before he would deign to meet!
Whoever thought his humiliations after his rigging attempt would’ve given him a reality check just wasted a thought. The authoritarian mindset – honed by Burnham and reinforced by 25+ years as a high-ranking military officer – isn’t going to change in this lifetime. But he remains the leader of the second largest party in Guyana, which has a tradition of practising “maximum leadership” in the style of Kabaka Burnham. And Guyana will have to deal with that!
Now let’s look at Granger’s gripes about the meeting “over lunch”. Isn’t “setting a framework for FUTURE engagements” enough of an agenda? Did Granger think he was being invited for nuclear disarmament talks? Wasn’t it clear that further “engagements” were contemplated by President Ali, and that these could cover any number of issues that Granger would’ve been free to bring up at the luncheon conclave?
Your Eyewitness believes President Ali knew that formal agenda-driven meetings by political parties aren’t conductive to delivering grand breakthroughs. That format simply replicates the National Assembly setting, where the atmosphere is confrontational by design to encourage “winning”, rather than discussion and compromise over agenda items. We shouldn’t forget that, as a very young man, Ali was a resource person during the “Jagdesh-Corbin Dialogue”, where the agenda item was “distressed PNC communities”. Exactly what did that lead to, except for more rancour and wrangling?
Some commentators, including from within the PNC, have suggested that Ali should’ve first engaged PNC Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon and his MPs from the National Assembly, without the precondition that they desist from insisting he (Ali) heads an illegal regime. Now, this in itself offers another reason why Pres Ali went for the informal meeting route with Granger. How could he formally meet with an agenda with folks who don’t even recognize his legitimacy? Then Harmon would’ve just been conveying Granger’s thoughts!
The informal meeting with Granger would sidestep such Procrustean modalities on the way forward, with no one having to save face by insisting on “winning” agenda items. Finally, Granger lost a golden opportunity to place the PPP on the back foot by offering proposals that could move the country forward.
This would have been a win-win for Granger and the PNC, whether the proposals were rejected or not.
…gets Ramjattan’s backing
Unlike his AFC colleagues Trotman and Nagamootoo, who support Granger meeting with his Presidential peers, Ramjattan even proposed additional preconditions, such as President Ali to show his academic certificate. How petty is this? Should Ali have demanded that Granger show his party’s SOPs from the last election? This just proves Ramjattan’s inability to see and work for the national interest – which would have been furthered if Granger had shown up to hammer out the modalities for further engagements.
Ramjattan was just as petty when he insisted that Tourism Minister Walrond should return her 4 months’ salaries when she’d occupied her position in breach of the constitution. But, as the PPP responded, shouldn’t Ramjattan and company also ask ex-Ministers Felix and Allicock to return their salaries over FIVE YEARS, since they had committed a more egregious breach?
As Ramjattan had shown by backing Granger’s move to close the sugar estates and appointing Patterson as GECOM Chair, he just wants to ingratiate himself.
Even knowing he’s scorned!
…with “Nassau”
Raphael Trotman just released a novella as a letter to the press, trying to sound “statesmanlike”. He’d started to come clean by admitting it was Granger who’d approved the Orinduik Oil bloc sale.
Shouldn’t he ‘fess up on his Stabroek giveaway?
