By Ryhaan Shah
“I believe God brought that man to be President… I believe that God made him President for such a time as this.”
Most of us reading those lines uttered by Minister Raphael Trotman in Bartica during the APNU/AFC’s LGE campaign might be moved to laughter at the preposterous idea of a divinely elected President governing any country in the 21st century.
Trotman’s speech, however, might have been instrumental in securing the Coalition its comfortable win in that township.
Since the story broke about his infamous Bartica address, an edited version has been posted on Kaieteur News’ website in an attempt to contain the damage done.
Trotman would have more than 1800 words to say at any campaign rally and would surely refer to the other LGE contenders so it is obvious that the most egregious parts of the “hate filled” speech (as was originally stated by the now contrite whistleblower) have been expurgated.
Even so, once you get past the absurdity of the idea of Guyana being governed by a divinely appointed President, the inherent implications are too dangerous to be taken lightly.
President David Granger’s haughty manner now makes perfect sense as does his grand inauguration ceremony for, as Trotman believes, this is no ordinary President.
Granger’s unilateral renaming of buildings and ministries, his release of criminals and flouting of the Cummingsburg Accord, and his deafness to all criticisms – these are not the actions of a man who feels bound to manmade laws. His loyalty obviously lies with another authority which could only be the one that “made him President”.
Everyone should be further disturbed by the implications of Trotman’s words to the crowd: “I don’t always understand what President Granger is thinking or doing, but believe you, as the months pass I see it taking shape and I nod my head and say ‘I see’, and when I don’t understand, I wait. I don’t run around bad mouthing him, I don’t run around challenging him, I don’t run around organising a rebellion against him. I wait.”
Taken together with the many Biblical references in his address and the idea of a divinely elected President, his words take on an eerie cult-like quality. To portray fealty to an elected official as the desired behaviour of the populace goes against all democratic norms where the electorate is actually tasked with being critical and holding him accountable.
That anyone would use the Bible for low politicking must be painful to every decent Christian and the blind loyalty being encouraged sets the country on a dangerous path where orders could be given, and would be obeyed out of fear or a corrupted sense of loyalty.
For nearly 30 years, and with the full support of the US and its allies, the PNC held dictatorial power until it was in the US’ interests to have democracy restored. Democracy is theirs to give and theirs to take away.
The Nassau Plan, as revealed to Trotman by Granger 10 years ago, would have involved machinations to return the PNC to power. This required a percentage of Indian Guyanese vote to gain a majority and to give a “unity” look to the thing, and the AFC willingly brought its 11% Indian Guyanese support to the Coalition.
That support has now returned to the PPP/C since it has become clear that the original PNC is back in power complete with its racisms and corruptions and with its backing, as before, from the US.
The US should be embarrassed by what the Trotman revelations say about their chosen local ally.
But they have meddled and will continue to meddle in Guyana’s affairs and any Government has to, therefore, be pragmatic about its relations with the international community.
Now is the time for the PPP/C to show statesmanship, effect reforms and bring a freshness of perspective that will attract Guyanese of every race and persuasion to the party. With the results of the multitude of forensic audits of the PPP/C Government revealing no grand theft but only incompetence and ethical lapses, even the hysteria whipped up about their alleged corruptions now appears part of the political ploy to return the PNC to power.
With its loss of the 11% Indian Guyanese vote, only rigged elections could possibly secure another “win” for the PNC/APNU party. A New PPP/C can win the day with the right reforms and strategies in place.
With true popular support, would the US stand in their way? And will we stand by and let them prop up the PNC through rigged elections as happened in the past?
