…for outcome not negotiator
The APNU/AFC coalition managed to squeak into office on the 11 per cent votes the AFC brought in from Berbice at the 2015 elections. Many of those voters were weaned away from the PPP because the AFC – in the form of Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan – promised they’d champion ‘constitutional reform”. Not just ANY old reform – but most specifically reform that would bring the PPP into the Government.
In fact, they pointed to the promise in the APNU/AFC Manifesto to change the constitutional rules on the Executive to declare the party with the largest number of votes would secure the presidency. BUT the leader of the party with the second largest number of votes becomes the Prime Minister with augmented powers. This, they insisted, meant power sharing with the PPP.
But as soon as they snucked into office, NOT A SQUEAK was heard about this promise. Instead, President Granger announced they now had a multiracial national unity coalition in Guyana! He appointed Moses Nagamootoo as Prime Minister and PROMISED to buttress his powers and most significantly! Yep…the PPP securing not even 5000 votes less than the combined Opposition – was out in the cold. What of the unity promise that had been made to the international community – including President Carter?
Well, Prezzie had an answer to that! Nagamootoo – who never got any power – was to lead a “negotiating” team with the PPP. One wasn’t sure what exactly he was going to negotiate in light of the already-announced National Unity! Wouldn’t any new talks be like gilding the lily?? Or conversely, mamaguying the PPP? Well, not surprisingly, the PPP balked. But in the opinion of your Eyewitness, they fell for Prezzie’s rather transparent ploy when they rejected Nagamootoo rather than the premise of the “negotiations”.
Prezzie obviously knew about the bad blood between Nagamootoo and the PPP and was just pressing their buttons by selecting their bête noir. So, now it’s the PPP who’re seen as holding up “unity talks”, since Nagamootoo has once again insisted he’s not stepping down now that there are new calls for constitutional reform and power sharing. From where this Eyewitness stands, the PNC – forget about all the window dressing in APNU – isn’t interested in sharing power with the PPP.
But the PPP has to change tack on linking Nagamootoo with power sharing. They should place the PNC on the back foot by announcing – as Jagan did in 1977 and 1985 – their proposals for taking the country forward.
The international community has their desire for the political logjam to be broken. The PPP can offer them one way out. Win-win, no?
…for real money
When your Eyewitness reads about these fellas getting into trouble with matters related to the gold business, he can’t help being impressed with the numbers thrown around. Imagine a “small dealer” running a scam involving almost a BILLION dollars!! Man…that’s US$5 million!! And Guyana’s a country where a government worker earns just US$300 a month.
Right there, you have a recipe for corruption. Just as with drug smugglers in Miami driving around with a trunkful of cash in case they’re stopped by cops, these fellas in gold dealing can do that – and then some! Without the risk of being decapitated by some irate Colombian looking for their stake! So we face the existential and omnipresent risk of our Bureaucrats – including our Ministers – being bought out.
So “what is to be done?” – as Lenin would’ve asked in another context. For starters, the Government should have a more nuanced understanding of “access maintenance and access control”.
Maybe Professor Thomas can advise Prezzie. The concept is Marxist!
…for MIGs
With our main threat on our densely forested western border, your Eyewitness wonders of what help will be the trucks and excavators the Chinese just delivered to the GDF.
Wouldn’t a MIG or two been better?
