There are sore losers and there are SORE losers. Sure, no one likes losing – and everyone gets miffed when they do. The homily that it’s not about winning or losing but just about running the race falls flat for ‘most everyone. But, surely, losers shouldn’t bruk-up the place and the game; but rather should examine why they lost, and take steps to correct where they went awry. There’s always a tomorrow to fight another day!!
Your Eyewitness, of course, is thinking about tomorrow’s LGE and the attitude of the Opposition and some of their camp followers. Seemingly unable to stem the red tsunami unleashed by the PPP – a veritable first for the formerly unheralded political exercise – the Opposition’s blaming the system, rather than their internal leadership meltdown. Hey!!! The game of politics is to secure as many votes as is possible, ain’t it?? So how can you blame the PPP for their full court press??
Should the Lakers place LeBron James on the bench just because the Celtics ain’t doing so good this season?? What a crock!!
Politics isn’t a game of Checkers – and even in Checkers, you play to win. What the PPP’s doing is what all incumbents do – using their “home court” advantage. Even if they tried, they can’t stop executing their manifesto projects, can they?? So just because they might pick up some grateful votes from the West Side, should they postpone the new DHB?? Or nix those bypass roads from the East Coast to the Airport?? OK…bringing forward the “Because We Care” cash grants for schoolchildren might’ve been a bit obvious – but hey, it ain’t illegal, is it? Maybe a tad unfair – but since when is politics played by Marquess of Queensbury Rules?? We have the ERC rules, which ain’t been violated, have they??
The PNC gotta staunch the bloodletting from their internecine leadership warfare, that’s what. Either Norton’s the leader or he ain’t. He was picked by a democratic process that the PNC boasted was far superior to that of the PPP. So now that some think he should be all “brute force and ignorance” – and he ain’t – the power brokers think it’s wise to undermine him?? This isn’t 1997, when Guyana wasn’t of any strategic importance to the US and Desmond Hoyte could execute his “slow fyaah; mo’ fyaah” strategy. This time around, the US has to protect Exxon’s interest, which goes far above corporate interests!!
Norton’s forte isn’t just being a street enforcer – but a foreign policy aware leader who’s au fait with the new realities. A leader’s supposed to lead – not just take instructions from back-seat power brokers. How can Norton fight when his hands are shackled because of no funds??
…on pride
In the poem “Ozymandias”, Shelly reflected on the folly of rulers who believed they’d live forever and treated their subjects with cruelty and harshness to fulfil their oversized egos. Ozymandias was actually Ramses II of ancient Egypt, and the poet was looking at his massive statue, fallen in ruins in the sands of the desert – but with his characteristic sneer still visible on his stone lips.
“Nothing beside remains. Round the decay/ Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare/ The lone and level sands stretch far away.” The poet then quotes the ironic inscription: “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;/ Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair”!! But even in the time of Ramses, wasn’t it said, “Vanity of vanities…All is vanity”?
So what brought on this bleak reflection on the delusion of leaders about their mortality? Mostly the constancy of the tendency into the present!
From Burnham in his mausoleum to those who now seek power – by any means necessary!!
…on flooding
Governments gotta think about both the short and long terms – and plan accordingly. So, let’s face reality: with Global Warming raising seas, there ain’t no long-term solution to flooding in Georgetown.
We can just hold the fort – and prepare to depart!!
