…in Mad Maduro-land
Your Eyewitness was just thinking of how, even though we live next to each other, Venezuela hasn’t learnt anything from Burnham’s disastrous example. After he attempted a coup in 1992 – just as we had our first free and fair elections in three decades – Chávez spent a couple of years in prison and was then freed. He organised a socialist movement (like Burnham); was feted by Castro (like Burnham); then won the 1999 elections (not like Burnham – who liked the niceties of elections but not the counting!!)
He rewrote the Venezuelan Constitution to make himself Supreme leader (like Burnham) and changed the name of Venezuela to the “Bolivarian Republic like Burnham’s “Co-op Republic. He then promised to make the Venezuelan small man the “real man” – like Burnham – by nationalising the economy (like Burnham). And, of course, it all collapsed under the contradictions – but mostly through abuse of power (like Burnham) and died from cancer (like Burnham).
Now you’d think his successor Maduro would’ve learnt from Burnham’s successor Hoyte – to change course from the disastrous socialist nationalisations, etc. But noooo!! He was determined to earn the sobriquet “Mad Maduro” as he imitated the captain of the Titanic and screamed “Full steam ahead!!” And sure enough, he slammed the good ship Venezuela into the iceberg of economic, political, and social disasters.
And then it was a case of every man jack for himself and the devil take the hindmost – as everyone tried to jump off the sinking ship!! By now almost EIGHT MILLION Venezuelans – a quarter of the population – have fled their country. But still not as much as we Guyanese fleeing Guyana under Burnham – more than 100%!! There’s more Guyanese OUT than in!! But Mad Maduro still hasn’t learnt anything. Like Hoyte after Burnham, he rigged the first election he faced – and the US bashed him in the head, but he survived.
Now that another election’s going on today, your Eyewitness is sure Mad Maduro’s gonna try a rig once again – just like the PNC in 2020!! What can you say?? It’s in their blood!! Or as our old people say, once dog learns to suck egg, they just can’t stop!! So, since all the polls show the Opposition is waaaay far ahead of Mad Maduro, the question is what the Opposition will do. Mad Maduro’s been saying (like Burnham) that they’ll be unleashing violence – and we all know he’s just projecting what’s on his mind!!
So, will the army be killing some Opposition supporters (like Burnham in 1973) or will they go quietly like Hoyte?? Your Eyewitness figures that for the latter road, the Yanks gonna have to apply some real pressure on him!!
Did your Eyewitness hear, “Invasion, anyone?”!!
…against corruption
Way back in the day, VP Jagdeo had admitted no government’s immune to corruption. Greed being what makes the world go round – it then becomes a case of how best to try keeping it within limits. But while one might’ve suspected an increase because of the explosion in money pouring into the economy through our oil share, it’s clear that the PPP didn’t expect the scale to which corruption has ballooned.
And the unkindest cut of all is that – as VP Jagdeo pointed out poignantly – a helluva lot of the corruption’s coming from members of the government. They’re busy setting up their friends and relatives as contractors, etc, to get Government contracts. The problem is, they’re not qualified to do these jobs and as a result, the shoddy work performed is giving the Government a bad name!!
So what to do, comrades?? (Your Eyewitness is trying to think PPP. Even though the party’s dumped references to Marxism in their constitution, they’re still using “comrade”!!)
Simple: off with their heads!!
…in PNC land?
Once again your Eyewitness raises his hands to the heavens and asks for Justice for Vanessa Kissoon. Surely the paragon of virtue that’s Elder Green should’ve finished their investigation by now and come to a decision??
