…for political survival
Now that the LGE has confirmed the AFC’s “dead meat” state, Moses Nagamootoo’s desperately struggling to show some personal worth to the PNC — to enjoy his super salary and, as important, those sirens and outriders to convince him he’s “important”!! This was pathetically on display after the results showed the PPP had comprehensively defeated both the PNC/APNU and the AFC by 45,000 votes.
After his prediction of trouncing the PPP in his home village of Whim was turned on his head, and the AFC was routed by the PPP, he didn’t even have the grace to concede defeat. Rather, he launched into a tirade against the PPP’s “racism”, which was grotesque, since Whim is overwhelmingly “Indian”! But he was obviously just echoing the PNC’s stock line so as to ingratiate himself with them, and not be dumped like a used tissue full of snot!!
But it was the political genius of his bete noir, Bharrat Jagdeo, to have immediately filed a motion of no-confidence in the APNU/AFC coalition Government after the lopsided results that forced Nagamootoo to display his desperation. He immediately dubbed the no-confidence motion an “act of provocation”!! What can be “provocative” about utilising a Constitutional mechanism (Art 106 (6))?? It was definitely a Freudian slip that revealed his state of mind in 2014, when he filed his motion of no-confidence against the Donald Ramotar PPP Government!
In the press conference at Congress Place, to rally the spirits of their dispirited supporters – following their frantic late night tete-a-tete with PNC Whip Amna Ally in her nightie – “suck-up” Nagamootoo showed up in a PNC-green shirt!! Even old time PNC stalwart Carl Greenidge sported a green-and-yellow shirt, to acknowledge the AFC!! But like your Eyewitness said, Nagamootoo’s frantically doing whatever it takes to save his neck, and he has no shame!!
In his Chronic column, Nagamootoo once more tried so desperately to grovel before the PNC that he didn’t even care he was shooting himself in the foot. He tried to throw shade at the PPP by alleging they’d submitted a “plagiarised, 10-word, No-Confidence Motion” – presumably his! What he didn’t realise is that a no-confidence motion – “That this National Assembly has no confidence in the Government” — is specified!! Someone must’ve drafted his in 2014, and he thinks he can now claim originality!!
Finally, in desperation, he invoked the departing US Ambassador’s speech, and gratuitously boasted there were no uncouth “feral blasts”. Yet, while he boasts about his “journalistic roots” – carrying around Janet’s handbag! – he ignored the thuggish behaviour of APNU supporters at the press conference, who “cuss out” journalists!!
The gods first make mad those whom they wish to destroy!!
…to stop the inevitable
In Westminster-style Parliament, the authority for its practices is encapsulated in the venerable “Erskine May: Parliamentary Practice”. Wiki pithily summarises the universal assessment: “It is considered to be the most authoritative and influential work on parliamentary procedure and the constitutional conventions affecting Parliament which form a major part of the uncodified UK constitution. Such is the authority of the text, it is regarded as analogous to part of the constitution itself.”
So, as the PNC-led APNU/AFC combine flails away to escape the people’s verdict, captured by the no-confidence motion, what does Erskine May say about the urgency of dealing with such motions? “The government will always accede to the demand from the Opposition to allot a day for the discussion of such a motion?; and while the ?government is entitled to have regard to exigencies of its own business, a reasonably early day is invariably (always) found…(this prioritisation) is founded on the recognised position of the Opposition as a potential government?, and thus ?guarantees the legitimacy of such an interruption of the normal course of business” (p. 344, Erskine May, 24th Edition, 2011).
Let’s see the PNC traduce this tradition!
…with misdirection
When caught with its pants down, the PNC-led coalition invariably creates diversions and misdirections.
Expect SOCU to issue some new trumped-up, forced-ripe charges!!
