Aubrey Norton is caught between a rock and a hard place. He’s desperately trying to live up to the “thug” image foisted on him by the middle-class snobs who control the PNC, and elected him leader. Unfortunately, he became an object of derision when he decided he wasn’t gonna shake President Irfaan Ali’s hand!! At a function at the British High Commission, he complained that Ali “bullied” him into shaking hands!! Rather than buttressing his claim that Ali wasn’t legitimately elected, and was “oppressing” his constituents, it just made him seem petty and puerile — not exactly qualities to boost his credentials as a President-in-waiting!!
Well, the cartoons and snickers over that stance have dissipated, so it appears that Norton’s been searching for some alternative posture that would signal his macho image – and hold on to his purse strings holders’ support. He’s been holding weekly press conferences in which he bats softball questions from a party hack. He decided on a stern visage that he absolutely refuse to vary with even the hint of a smile. But all it does is make him look very desperately constipated!! Again, not signalling President-in-waiting” material!!
But you gotta hand it to the Opposition Leader; he ain’t giving up on his tough guy pose. And this week – if the unmentionable rag is to be believed – he’s decided to take on Exxon on the oil contract his party – in the person of Raphael Trotman – had signed!! He declared he’d make changes – not even “renegotiate”! – to impose “ring-fencing” and higher royalties on the contract!! Now, Norton’s a student and follower of his PNC’s founder-leader, Burnham. He, faced with a similar situation back in the day, had decided – according to his biographer – that he gotta choose whether “To survive sensibly or to court heroic death”. It would appear Norton had decided to differ from the Comrade Leader, to court heroic death by yanking Tony the Tiger’s tail!!
His predecessor as PNC leader – then President Granger – had decided otherwise; but what does he know? He’s just a historian who’d studied the Burnham era and given over his home to the Burnham Foundation!! Ex-“twelve-year” President Jagdeo – presently in charge of the energy portfolio – has decided otherwise. But what does he know? His founder-leader had decided to court heroic death, and was, not surprisingly, consigned to the political wilderness for twenty-eight years!! And right next door, Chavez had seen his 300 billion barrels of oil reserve become mud after he got the (dubious) satisfaction of twitching Exxon’s tail!!
So, does Norton know something his peers don’t?? Or has he been pushed into this foolhardy move to avoid a PNC palace coup??
…true love?
So today’s Valentine’s Day? Now, we all know (irony of ironies!) that we’ve been brainwashed into believing, even though we may treat our “significant other” like dirt for three hundred and sixty-four days of the year, if we bring home some flowers and chocolate today, all will be forgiven!! Now, think about this for a minute – ain’t this sick?? Especially here in Guyana, when nary a day goes by without us reading about some poor woman or girl being chopped up, raped, or killed by someone who’s supposed to “love” her!
Your Eyewitness has a suggestion for the powers that be. They should declare it unlawful for any male to take home a present on Valentine’s Day if he had dared lift a finger against his significant other during the previous 364 days!! Now while this may be seen as draconian – and depriving the abused female of “love” for even one day of the year – we can’t allow those creeps to “buy out” their abusive behaviour!!
…FIFA World Cup
The Yanks like to believe whatever they do is the “best and biggest”!! Yes, they equate the two!! But their football “Superbowl” pales in comparison with FIFA World Cup. Viewership of 115 million vs 1.5 billion!!
