Come 2011 the people of Guyana will be voting for another Head of State, the Supreme Executive Authority, the Commander in Chief of the armed forces, the one who would be responsible for their lives and their livelihood for the next five to ten years. This is real serious business. A truly momentous occasion.
Yet, the four prime contenders within the ruling PPP, when asked if they were interested in the job of being President, responded flippantly. Donald Ramotar: sure, why not? Clement Rohee: I won’t shy away from it. Moses Nagamootoo: I am willing to serve. Ralph Ramkarran, well, he is just satisfied with others asking for the job for him.
Why would they vie for the job anyway? In the end, the PPP’s presidential candidate will either be appointed by President Jagdeo by tradition or selected by a bunch of PPP executives to the total exclusion of the membership or supporters at large. If elected, the new president will simply continue with business as usual, based on the system of government of the Party, by the Party and for the Party. Nothing will change, irrespective of which candidate or what party. And the people, demoralized, poverty- stricken and apathetic will once again be manipulated into returning them to power while hoping and praying that remittances will come or they can go overseas, legally or “back track”.
Many have been exhorting these politicians to think foremost of the rights of the people to no avail. Why? Because in Guyana it’s all about power, for whoever controls the government lords it over who should get what when and how much. They will never share or relinquish the power voluntarily.
The only way for change is to shake the foundation of that power, to change the dynamics of the political process. Come tomorrow I will serve notice on my voting relatives in Guyana that I will continue to send money provided that they seek my advice to decide whom to vote for. My advice for the continued remittances, their choice. That will be two votes no longer guaranteed to the PPP. And if others of the diaspora follow suit those two votes can become 200,000 votes, seriously threatening their power base and forcing them to start negotiating with the diaspora on our turf, not the trenches in Guyana.
Time to play hardball. Let’s leverage the remittances for change.
Yours faithfully
Shawn Mangru
