This week, co-leader of the Workings People’s Alliance Party (WPA) Dr David Hinds dropped two bomb shells on the Guyanese public. Dr Hinds firstly admitted that his party was a) never consulted on the appointment of Dr Rupert Roopnaraine as the substantive Minister of Education, b) the party never selected Roopnaraine as its representative in the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change Government and c) the party’s official Executive was never officially consulted on Dr Roopnaraine’s reassignment in Cabinet before President David Granger took his decision.
Secondly, Dr Hinds also admitted that the WPA had “serious” concerns about the manner in which decisions were being made in the coalition and the fact that it was being “sidelined”. He said too that the WPA had a number of concerns about the governance decisions being made by the David Granger Government with respect to specific issues while noting that the WPA has been unable to hold frequent or serious discussions with President David Granger or the other coalition partners.
In short Dr Hinds and Executive Member Mr Tacuma Ogunseye, who joined him at the hastily called press conference earlier in the week, have admitted that there are not only problems within the coalition and the structure of Government but the entire notion of shared governance as far as this country’s political culture is concerned.
The truth is, the WPA was forced to hold that press conference. The party which has only existed on paper since the death of Dr Walter Rodney has no real membership or following. The party’s Executive which is made up of a group of Guyanese intellectuals and middle class elites chooses to offer a comment here and there about different issues when and only if it suits its agenda.
Over the past decade the party has only been kept alive because of the activism of some its most hostile and in other cases black conscious members like Mr Ogunseye, Andiaye and Dr Hinds. It has also managed to keep itself a bit relevant because of the writings of Dr Clive Thomas who over the past few years has earned a reputation at home and abroad for his creative analysis of the “underground economy” that allegedly existed and grew during the tenure of the Peoples Progressive Party in Government.
Dr Hinds and Mr Ogunseye should be ashamed to face the Guyanese press after all of these months have passed to complain about the treatment it is receiving at the hands of the APNU and AFC within the wider coalition. Dr Rodney would have never waited this long or allowed the status quo to further deteriorate before raising objections both internally and externally.
Also, as a party that lectured the Guyanese public about the need for inclusionary democracy, shared governance, national unity and ethnic harmony, the WPA should be a shamed to be in the state that it has found itself. While Dr Hinds and Mr Ogunseye would not admit it and may never do so because of the backlash it would cause and the ammunition it would give the PPP, President Granger and the PNC has outsmarted the WPA. He has shafted their politicians again and what is regrettable is that he has done with the help of the WPA’s co-leader Mr Roopnaraine.
It is hard to believe that Mr Roopnaraine played no role direct role in his appointment and subsequent reassignment. In 1992, when Mr Thomas was offered a post in Government by Dr Cheddi Jagan, he declined because of the protestations of Roopnaraine and others. They felt that the President should have only offered the portfolio to the WPA and they would select the office holder. Now, it appears that the politics of principle which the WPA practiced then died with Dr Rondey because President Granger gave Roopnaraine the post without even caring to speak with the WPA. Mr Granger even made it clear that the WPA was not given a Ministry in his Government and therefore has no direct stake in his coalition apart from having its name on a list of paper partners.
This exposes the truth about the WPA. It did not negotiate its stake in Government before the elections. It allowed the PNC to use it to secure executive power. The WPA Executive trusted Mr Roopnaraine but he betrayed their trust. He should have sought clarity about his appointment and informed his party properly. But this is not surprising coming from Mr Roopnaraine and history is replete with examples of the confusing and almost ‘scampishness’ associated with the politics he has practiced.
Dr Hinds, Mr Ogunsey and the others in the WPA must demand answers from Mr Roopnaraine about his involvement in the coalition. Is he there as an independent member or is he representing the WPA? If he is, then he answerable to the WPA first about the decisions he makes as Minister representing the party and then the President who will have to double check his actions. The WPA must ask Dr Thomas took about his involvement in the coalition because it would appear too that he is there not as a WPA politician but an Independent.
The principles and legacy of Dr Walter Rodney died with him and none of these politicians in the so called modern WPA party have the testicular ability or integrity to defend or implement them. They all remain talking heads.
