Recognizing that politics in Guyana – even at the local level – is a no-holds-barred affair, the ERC has decided to promulgate a “Code of Conduct” (CoC) to keep matters from getting too out of hand!! Your Eyewitness looked at the rules and seen they’ve forbidden the usual provocations: “Forbids the use of threats, harassment or tendency to violence that might cause disruption whether at political rallies, meetings, gatherings or elsewhere, or any other form of intimidation, including the use of violence and intimidation while the undersigned political parties/groups/individuals are announcing their activities, holding their meetings, gatherings and rallies.
“Forbids the use of threatening language, or language which incites people of one group to violence against any Candidate, Agent, member or supporter of any other contesting political parties/groups/individuals…“Forbids all actions aimed at removing, defacing, besmirching, obscuring, destroying, damaging or altering any flag, banner, poster, notice or other campaign materials of other contestants…“Forbid the use of intimidating behavior or violence on Election Day to frighten people from going to the polls to vote, or whilst they are in the polling stations or leaving the polling stations”. Etc…etc.
Your Eyewitness likes the rule that these politicians shouldn’t be “besmirch” the posters of their opponents. He’d like to know how exactly one “besmirches” a poster so HE doesn’t run afoul of the ERC. Can one spoil a poster’s reputation?? He frequently mutters some scathing remark or other when he passes some of these posters – but is he besmirching the poster or the person depicted?? Isn’t he allowed his opinion on those who seek to represent him??
And on the rule that he shouldn’t “frighten people from going to the polls to vote”. Does this mean he shouldn’t tell his Opposition friends that the PPP looks like they got the elections all wrapped up and their vote is meaningless?? And this is clear from the way recognized PNCites are switching sides worse than a tennis ball during a match!! Is that too “intimidatory”??
But your Eyewitness is a tad disappointed that Opposition Leader Norton’s APNU hasn’t signed on to the CoC. How exactly could that have hurt him? He says the ERC’s biased! Like the GECOM Secretariat under the firm of Lowenfield, Mingo amd Myers? All institutions gotta be manned by PEOPLE and since the Guyanese people are divided politically from the time they come out of Lil ABC…how exactly will he get rid of any bias. The best he can hope for is that his people in the ERC – and Afro Guyanese and Labour – are represented, aren’t they – will look out for their Opposition’s interest!!
In the meantime, if the PPP besmirches his posters, isn’t he gonna do something about it?? Even some besmirching of his own at his Pressers??
…on US Debt
In the real world – especially when it comes to debt – for years we’ve been warned to keep ours in line with our GDP. That makes sense, doesn’t it?? You can’t be spending more than you earn – sooner or later the nasty stuff’s gonna hit the fan. Most economists say that the maximum debt-to-GDP ratio should be around 77%. Our ratio’s a comfortable 23% and yet the doomsayers are foaming at the mouth at the PPP government’s quite moderate borrowing.
But what about the US – the country we’re all trying to emulate?? There, dear friends, their GDP is US$26trillion and their debt is US$31.3Trillion!! That’s right folks, the US debt’s larger than its economy!! And that’s why the Republican leader controlling the House and President Biden’s been huddling for weeks trying to put a cap on their borrowing!! And why should we be concerned??
Just that the entire world – including us – is hooked on the dollar for trading and if they sneeze, we’ll catch the cold!!
…on Security
Isn’t it ironic that 19 children couldn’t get out of their dormitory because of barred windows, yet Sallie Williams – the most notorious mass killer who’d been incarcerated – could escape with ease from our maximum security prison??!!
