…or, not to protest?
Apart from all the challenges facing the PNC to bring off their Congress by the end of June, they’re now engaged in a bitter war of words over whether they should be protesting in the streets, or not!! But maybe the two aren’t unconnected. The brouhaha erupted after Leader Aubrey Norton said to one of the chief instigators of street protests – a minor Opposition party functionary – he believes in protests, but STREET protests at this time ain’t the right thing to do!! Now, this is a case of “man bites dog”, and it gotta be explored!!
Norton, after all, is one of those who were leaders in the massive street protests in the late 1990s, when the PNC brought the PPP to its knees – and to the bargaining table and constitutional change!! And it was because of the street cred he then developed that made the party turn to him and elect him as party leader, when Granger left office after their five-month illegal squatting on the presidency. He was to SHOW those PPP so-and-sos where barley does grow!! But with his bellicosity not going beyond refusing to shake Pressie’s hands – and now his “no-street-protest” announcement – folks are coming out of the woodwork to question his motives!!
No one’s surprised that the minority hanger-on parties are pushing street protests. They gotta get attention somehow, and pushing street protests is a quick and dirty way to do so. Remember when the minority fella screamed to PNC supporters about the PPP: “Undermine them!! Undermine them by any means necessary!!”? And, of course, we had the protest on the Demerara East Coast that ended up with mass pandemonium, beatings and looting at Mon Repos Market!! And this is the reality about opposition street protests in Guyana – innit?? No matter that protests might be a democratic method signalling disapproval of the Government’s actions, when it ends in beatings of fellow Guyanese – who just happen to look different from the protestors – Norton’s got a point to be skittish!!
But look who’s on his case for his stance: no other than his predecessor David Granger, who’s never held a placard in his life, much less march in the hot sun!! Your Eyewitness can understand the worst possible alternative fella (as Burnham dubbed them!!) or the fella in his Brooklyn basement – with his “friend”! – fighting for attention and relevance. But Granger?? Isn’t this the man who never passed up an opportunity to drop on his knees and offer a prayer??
But then, one of the contestants for the PNC’s June beauty pageant, who’s been trying to channel Burnham as his selling point, also weighed in for street protest!! Just shows they’re all deathly scared of Norton!!
…a snap Congress
One of the newbies, brought into PNC politics by Granger as part of his militarization of the party, just complained that the Congress’s date is “too quick”!! Rather than the one-month notice, there shoulda been at least three!! Now, this just shows you how these neophytes haven’t the foggiest idea of how democracy works in real life. Did the young lady ever hear about “snap elections” in the parliamentary system??
While normally a government’s term normally lasts five years, it’s the incumbent’s prerogative to call an election at any time – a “snap election”!! Like snapping your finger!! Obviously, it’s to catch the Opposition in a state of unpreparedness – and gain an advantage. So, in real life, Opposition parties gotta always be prepared for elections. And so it is with internal elections: for over a year, many in the PNC have been baying at Norton to schedule Congress so leadership elections can be held; and they expect him NOT to use his prerogative?? Politics isn’t ludo!!
…too much!!
The World Court just ordered Israel to quit its invasion of Rafah in Gaza. And the Israelis have replied, “No can do”. The World Court has no battalions – save what the IUN Security Council musters. Which the US will veto!!
