…for the PNC
You could just hear the air being sucked out of the PNC camp when they realised that four of their Ministers would have to resign not only their office, but also their seats in the National Assembly! It was a case of “all smart flies does end up in cow’s backside”!! They were so desperate to reverse AFC’s Charrandas’ vote on the NCM that they ignored that the “dual citizen” limb would boomerang and bite them on their bamzies!! But bite it did…hence that whooshing sound from their collective gasp of consternation!!
Gaskin, who refused to cut his ties with Blighty, and Roopnaraine, who just did, are of no consequence – apart from not being PNC. Gaskin was always a beneficiary of nepotism, and was such a lightweight that he never threatened anyone. Roopnaraine had reduced himself to such a doormat in the last couple of years that even his friends were happy he’s been offered a way out of his humiliation. Imagine, there was a time when this fella marched in step with Rodney!! But quality will always be tested in battle, and Roopnaraine was clearly found wanting.
What’s significant is the sucking out of air has created a vacuum in the PNC’s succession process for control of the PNC after 2020. This has been thrown for a loop. Greenidge had been a credible challenger to Granger for the PNC leadership up to 2015, and if the latter were to falter for any reason, there’s no question he would’ve liked to throw his hat in the presidential ring. He doesn’t just have years of explicit service in office for the PNC’s cause, but as a former Finance Minister and present Foreign Minister, he can claim just the precise skill set from their quarter for an economy just about to have an oil infusion!! He could’ve made a good case that the party would’ve gotten a “two-fer” – as top dog and as the finance maven.
Now that’s all gone for channa!! Even if he were to renounce his British citizenship, he can now be branded as tainted goods by his opponents, who’ll question his loyalty to the cause. Burnham, after all, set the bar for nationalism quite high – and with all that oil money in sight, all gloves will come off.
And that’s the same reason why Harmon’s line to the Presidency has been smudged. He already had the PNC traditional leadership corps riled since they’d been shunted aside by the Army types.
But the main standard bearers from that quarter, Lawrence (“only PNCites and friends need apply”) and Williams (terminal incompetence) have already shot themselves in the foot.
Expect some bloody infighting in the PNC camp!!
…on constitutional reform
Your Eyewitness is quite amused with all the talk about “constitutional reform” being spouted from all quarters – even by the diplomats. It’s just a lot of hot air that might just take our planet over the tipping point on this global warming threat!! It reminds him of those medieval scholastics debating about how many angels could dance on the tip of a needle!! It all amounted to naught!!
What these – probably well intentioned – folks don’t mention is exactly how they would get these reforms passed. After the NCM, we’re all quite informed about what it takes to alter the Constitution. Generally, two-thirds of all the sitting MPs, or a vote of a majority followed by a referendum. And that, dear readers, means any changes will have to get the support of BOTH the PNC and the PPP. So have these worthies figured how they’d satisfy this threshold condition? Some third party “holding the balance of power” in the Assembly??
That still doesn’t muster up two-thirds with either of the two behemoths!! Hot air!!
…with Parliament convening
The hitch here, of course, is to figure out who’ll fill the four seats that have to be vacated. It’s not that there aren’t names – they’re on the list.
But who to extract? We’ll see eventually. AFTER the bloodletting!!
