…the soul of the PNC
One of the enduring hypocritical constants in Guyanese politics is the refusal of political parties to be honest on race – not only in the wider body politic – but inside their parties. Jagan formed the original PPP insisting that class, not race was the reality. But he painstakingly patched together individuals from all the race groups to form the leadership!! He even kept a space for Burnham who was studying in London to be the “African” leader. But never publicly announced HE was the “Indian” leader!! But the people knew who was who and who they represented, didn’t they?
Well, it does look like we’ll be having a real heart-to-heart on that topic from within the PNC!! With the leadership of the PNC on the line, and Aubrey Norton, Joseph Harmon and Van West Charles throwing their hats in the ring, it looks like the first two gentlemen (your Eyewitness uses the term loosely!) don’t see Baby Jesus as much competition. They agree with your Eyewitness!! One of Harmon’s surrogates, Roysdale Forde signaled this (and more!) when he pugnaciously endorsed Harmon’s candidacy and took clear aim at Aubrey Norton!
For what it’s worth, your Eyewitness has wondered publicly in this space as to why Forde had been appointed “Acting Opposition Leader” when Harmon dropped off the grid. We now know it was to Mother Africa – and we now also know that Forde’ll be the point man defend his benefactor! Ah…these army types – Granger included – are so strategic: do we now also know why silk was conferred? And your Eyewitness’ is vindicated: the Harmon camp will be calling in their chips from all the young’uns they sent off to Parliament with their lunch kits!!
Without mentioning Norton by name, Forde declared in his “endorsement”: “Essential to consolidating the gains of the People’s National Congress Reform is recognising that the PNC is not a tribe. It is a political party in which all the citizens irrespective of race must know and feel that their interests are protected….We must not use statements , we must not use euphemisms, we must not use the word ‘grassroots’ to mean a return or an acknowledgement that the People’s National Congress Reform is a Black people party. It is not a Black people party. It has not, it has never been and it must never be. A leader that is tribal , a leader that is tribalist cannot advance the cause of the people that support the People’s National Congress”!!
Well!! “Cross my heart and hope to die!” your awestruck Eyewitness exclaims, “That’s some honest sh*t!”
Did Forde’s candidate discover he wasn’t “tribal” before his trip to Ghana or after!!
…and riposte
Aubrey Norton didn’t waste any time playing coy and pretending he didn’t know who Forde was shooting at and he came out swinging in a letter to the press. Said he, “I find it laughable but mischievous that Mr. Roysdale Forde insinuated that the PNCR under my leadership will turn the Party into a Black Party. If Mr. Forde was in the PNCR long enough he would have known that Mr. Winston Murray was an Indo Guyanese who Aubrey Norton supported for Leader of the PNCR. I was also his campaign manager leading Mr. Murray’s campaign to make him what would have been the first Indo Guyanese Leader of the PNCR when some Mr. Forde is speaking to were busy fighting against Murray.” Ooh! Did you get that not-so-subtle dig at Forde and his candidate as “Johnnies -come-lately” in the PNC??!!
But in trying to prove his “race-blind” credentials, Norton exposed the nature of the PNC that formed him.
Murray never said he was “Indian Guyanese”!
…new Police Force
Your Eyewitness is wondering whatever happened to the file on Orin Boston’s killing by the SWAT team that was sent to the Police Complaints Authority?
How can the GPF be professionalized if it’s possible lapses aren’t investigated?
