Who will ever buy the PNC/AFC/APNU “honesty, integrity and decency” pitch again?

Dear Editor,
No one will ever feel safe with the PNC again. The PNC has never cried over spilled milk. Come 2nd August, it will be four fabulous years since Guyana was saved from further tyranny of the PNC. The PPP/C were legitimately sworn in to legally govern Guyana after duly winning the March 2020 General and Regional Elections. It was a close encounter as the PNC band of renegades attempted to rig the election in their favor. Many of them are facing charges and are in court. Who will ever approve of the PNC again?
In 2015, it was former President Granger who said, “…we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of the world; against spiritual wickedness in high places…” He vilified all principles as his PNC Party illegally squatted for 153 days before conceding to President Ali being sworn in. It was the PNC who ‘decriminalised’ obeah and witchcraft and wanted to “wok pon she.” Granger further warned, “Life in Guyana could become nastier and more brutish,” if the PPP were to be returned to office. True to his words, that’s exactly how life became when the PNC ruled from 2015 to 2020. Who will ever favour the PNC again?
A party well known to be wrong and strong had Sampson Burnham as their founder/ leader. He taught them to use any means to be in power and, once in power stay in power. Armed with a new constitution kidnapped from a defenseless nation, Burnham paved a nation’s path of destruction rather than construction. Had it not been for the help and support of foreign agencies, including his Caribbean counterparts, such a monstrous making would not have materialised. It was a costly lesson executed by the trilogy of bullishness, force, and hindsight which unfolded a travesty of “One People, One Nation, One Destiny.” Who will ever trust the PNC again?
Linden Burnham’s rule (and others), destined Guyana to die a slow death from 1964 to 1992 under his tyranny of dictatorship, a tapestry of delusion and his tormented destiny. A sophisticated, systemic, and sinuous exercise, executed without the exaggeration of being authoritarian due to the support of all the armed and military forces, sadly restricted the programme to “feed, clothe, and house the nation.” The establishment of the Social Impact Amelioration Programme (SIMAP), following the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP), both failed to eradicate the deteriorating social and economic downturn. Who will ever join hands with the PNC again?
Guyanese should have known better, yet they allowed themselves to be conned and swept off their feet in 2015 when they believed the PNC and the AFC. “We must ask ourselves what kind of country, what kind of future are we building if we tear each other down in the process? How can we lead a nation if we cannot even lead ourselves with dignity and respect? The answer is clear, we cannot.” Those were the embarrassing words of a disdained Opposition Member of Parliament, Amanza Walton-Desir, consciously spoken with clarity and conviction, before withdrawing her candidacy for the leadership of the PNC Party at their 22nd Congress. Who will ever trust the PNC/APNU/AFC again?
She was not apologetic but rather apoplectic with events casting aspersions on the party. If you cannot run a cake shop properly, profitably, and peacefully, then, you will certainly run a county into ruin as the PNC track record confirms two eras of chaos and corruption, economic and financial bankruptcy, and social and livelihood instability, under the PNC stewardship. The Opposition was chastised and castigated in the cemetery, as their hopes for a rigged election victory were crucially cremated in March 2020. But 2020 was different when the writing was on the wall for the AFC who became “dead meat,” and the APNU who was caught pants down, and the PNC with hands in the kitty. Who will ever believe in the Coalition again?
From 1964 to 1992 and again from 2015 to 2020, those agonising 33 years have left Guyanese angry and anguished as the PNC aspired to author a state of autocracy, despite changing leaders from Burnham to Hoyte and then to Granger. They pursued a purposeful campaign contaminated with crime, corruption, mismanagement, propaganda, lies, deceit, discrimination, violence and racism. But the Guyanese woke up and began to see the living daylight as they crossed the floor to join the PPP/C. Who will ever accept anything the PNC says again?
The final nail in the coffin was the 2023 Local Government Election when the PPP/C made more than 90 % in-roads in the Local Authority Areas.
In addition, the Opposition failed to contest any seats in 291 out of the 610 constituencies which represent 48 %, all automatically going to the PPP/C. The PNC hid behind excuses but left their front exposed to reveal their back as they sat on their derriere knowing that the end was approaching. The PPP/C went on to win 66 of the 80 Areas, a resounding victory representing over 75% for a majority. Who will ever have faith in the PNC again?
Not once has any of the members, be they the seniors from the ancient school, the middle-aged from the modern school, or the young ones from the new school, attempted to even vaguely admit guilt and ask for forgiveness for all or any of their wrongdoings. They have boldly confessed to rigging elections as a criterion to grab and maintain power illegally. But no one has expressed an intent to amend their way. They have vehemently pledged to uphold Burnham’s legacy which has always spelled doom and gloom for the country. Who will ever support the PNC again?
The values of transparency, fairness, decency, and integrity are certainly not within the realms of the Opposition. As Norton continues to “blow hot, blow cold,” his elected status lacks transparency. Hughes rides as a “knight in shining armor,” as he battles the war of reality and imagination in quest of integrity. Hinds chooses to live in the Land of the Brave but wages a duel far from near for fear of showing his stained hands. His next-door neighbors, Burke and Benschop, all have others doing their dirty jobs, knowing that fairness is not a composite in their backyards. The lost cause, Henry, is left to blow a soundless trumpet, knowing that his troupe lacks the morale of decency. He coordinates a group that is stigmatised for life with the words “election riggers.” Who will ever pay heed to the PNC and the joint riggers again?
In 2015, Nagamootoo said, “Our children, like Little Red Riding Hood, are given a modern-day glimpse of the big bad wolves with new, brighter, but bigger teeth to laugh at our people’s pains and miseries.” Indeed, the vampiric PNC did not fail to suck the blood from the children when they stopped the “Because We Care Programme,” and denied the children their much-needed money to purchase their uniform. How hypocritical can the PNC get? David Patterson had said in 2015, ……. “We have nothing to hide… I want to know; will the PPP do the same?” Yet the PNC failed to show their SOPs, even up to this day and age. The PNC did say that there would be no apology for their actions. Who will ever buy the PNC/AFC/APNU “honesty, integrity, and decency” pitch again?

Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall