…for Guyanese
What will take for Guyanese to wake up? For how long will they take the daily contempt and scorn of the politicians – who THEY voted into Office? Dear Reader… you really want examples? Your Eyewitness’ problem is where does he begin? Hamilton Green’s mega pension proposal? The PNC Gang of Four at the City Council on another junket?
Their unilateral decision to name the road in front of the Chinese Embassy after Fuzhou? (Where the heck is Fuzhou? And when was it twinned with Georgetown?) But maybe we can illustrate our seething anger with the Constitutional changes both the APNU and AFC promised. This promise was at the centre of the “change” they were going to bring into Guyanese politics.
And to a lot of people this proposal made sense. The Constitution, we were taught, were the set of rules that circumscribed how the “elected” government would run the State. The people saw this proposal inscribed several times in the APNU/AFC Manifesto. All the high handiness that had crept into the PPP’s practices after the 2000 Constitutional Changes were now going to be nipped in the bud – meaning their source in the Constitution.
But what fuels your Eyewitness’ rage at the blatant official contempt is that government hasn’t just put the promised constitutional changes on their back burner – but the Prime Minister, Nagamootoo, under whole portfolio the subject fellas – keeps coming up with excuses that are blatantly contrived. And it’s not as if the fella’s being overworked, since all he seems to do is fly off hither and thither to collect malas and pro-forma “accolades”.
There was the Steering Committee on Constitutional Reform (SCCR) that conducted hearings and submitted its report to Nagamootoo. Then silence. After much hemming and hawing by Nagamootoo, Prezzie stepped in and announced he didn’t want any “back room” deals in changing the constitution. Too elitist for him. There had to be “wider consultations”. It sounded suspiciously like the British delaying tactics when the early Guyanese freedom fighters were demanding independence.
Now a year and a half later, Nagamootoo says he’s preparing for those countrywide “consultations”. But isn’t sure whether the $80 million he requested has been included in the Budget!!! What is this? Jordan doesn’t take his calls? But you can bet your bottom dollar his ambiguity is simply to give himself wriggle room to delay the promised changes.
But Nagamootoo really has nothing to fear. Has he forgotten that Burnham, the Founder Leader of the PNC – he’s now joined at the hip with – had once said: It doesn’t matter what Constitution you have – the PNC will always find a way to have their way. Nagamootoo better get with the programme!
…Public Agencies
Another broken promise that demonstrates the contempt this government has shown to the people is the foot dragging on the Local Government Commission (LGC). Once again, when in opposition, the APNU and AFC had gnashed their teeth at the claimed interference of the Minister of Local Government into the affairs of the Local Government bodies. The LGC would’ve solved all that – since it would have both Government and Opposition reps. But as Georgetown’s Mayor and City Council’s outlaw behaviour continues, there’s still no LGC to represent the people’s interests. And the newly designated “Minister of Communities” is mute.
But to be fair, your Eyewitness must point out that even though very belatedly – after much damage has been done, and pockets filled – there’s now a Public Procurement Commission (PPC). But the test of this pudding will be in its eating – in this case the awards of the bids.
But hold it. The losing bidders’ only recourse is the three person Bid Protest Committee – appointed solely by the Government!
…on rice and sugar
All across Guyana, the price for paddy is below the cost of production. But not a murmur from PM Nagamootoo who promised vast Mexican markets, to answer the cries of the 11 per cent and their cohorts.
