Your Eyewitness can’t get over the Opposition keeps jumping on that “shared governance” limb. Now since the (wise) old people say “Monkey know which limb to jump on” that just proves without any fear of contradiction that THEY ain’t no monkeys!! Cause THAT limb ain’t leadin’ nowhere!! Now, there may be THEORETICAL reasons why “shared governance” may be good for some divided countries. But then, there were theoretical reasons for arguing about how many angels could dance on the head of a pin!! But does it really matter if experience shows that both have no relation to reality??
Let’s face it…this notion that if only the PPP and PNC could get together and form a government all will be hunky dory and we’ll all live happily ever after, has been around since the beginning of modern politics from the 50s!! Not surprising since we’ were all weaned on the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tales!! But shouldn’t the FACT that such a dream never became real tell us something?? That maybe all dreams don’t come true because they’re…erm…just DREAMS?? So let’s look as to why coalitions –the foundations of shared governments – haven’t worked here. And then ask if anything’s changed!!
Back in 1964, shared governance was kicked off with the PNC-UF coalition that ousted the PPP. But the cynicism behind that arrangement only convinced Burnham that the wonderful rhetoric of “democracy” being spouted was just that – rhetoric!! This confirmed his Machiavellian view of politics and he promptly kicked out his “shared governance” partner and rigged elections to rule on his lonesome!! And “shared governance” in Guyana was read its death rites then and there!!
Even though the PPP then came up with all kinds of permutations and combinations of how they and the PNC could divvy up the governance spoils, it all came to nought!! For the simple (cynical) reason why share when you can have it all? – even when the “all” is a country that had been destroyed politically, economically, socially etc!! They say that in 1985, Forbes and Cheddi were on the verge of signing off on a “shared governance” but Forbes then went and croaked!! But your Eyewitness still believes Forbes was yanking Cheddi’s chain!!
And when at long last Cheddi came back into office in 1992, hadn’t he also promised “shared governance” – but then gave us the CIVIC??!! But hope beats eternal, innit?? And so Ramjattan took his AFC into a coalition with the PNC – even though fearing “Dead Meat” status – and was surprised when Granger kicked him to the kerb??
Those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them. So who’s silly enough to go that route again?? Looks like the PPP has learnt their lesson!!
…political exemplars
Those Scandinavian countries way up north have long been the exemplars of good governance and high standards of living that the rest of the world struggles for. Was it those Northern Lights that only they get to see?? Or was it those old Norse Gods like Odin and Thor watching over them?? Or was it the more mundane reason that for the longest while they’re all from the same Nordic Stock – blonde and blue eyed – like the Targaryens?? Your Eyewitness doesn’t know about the incest part!!
Well, whatever it was…looks like somebody bit into that apple and their Valhalla’s being tested. After being ultraliberal and woke for the longest while – for instance, accepting hundreds of thousands of Middle Eastern refugees, Sweden elected a centre-right Government!! Now if that sounds innocuous, it’s supported by a neo-Nazi party that was formed only in 1988 – and has now become the second-largest party in the country!!
So now that they’re faced with diversity challenges, they’ve joined Trump’s bandwagon!!
…cricket nous
Your Eyewitness ain’t gonna get into why our Warriors lost the finals to the Kings – he still hasn’t recovered from the shock and disappointment. But he gotta say it looks like basic cricket nous fled from the captain’s head.
