Dear Editor,
I recall that in 1990 a very good friend who was a member of the WPA told me he was migrating to the USA because there is no hope for Guyana. Being the eternal optimist, I disagreed with him. But 22 years later I am trying to hold on to my optimism.
I am particularly disturbed by the recent PNC elections for the Leader of the party. Prior to the election of David Granger I was testing the opinions of various Africans on whether they would prefer Granger or Greenidge to be the Leader. There were more in preference of Greenidge. Since the elections there has been an unnatural silence in Guyana. I asked one friend what was her opinion and she said that she was not happy, there is nothing she can do about it, and “this is what we got.”
Another friend said he voted for Greenidge because in his opinion Greenidge is a better politician, but he was accepting what had taken place and predicting a bright future. I suppose his rationale is also “this is what we got.” A few other people I have spoken to have accepted the result but have shown no enthusiasm.
There have been reports of electoral fraud (a practice that is endemic to the PNC) and the verbal assault on Greenidge and many of his supporters. It was the same type of verbal violence at the previous election that made some Africans migrate to the AFC, and there are some who are planning to migrate after this election because they cannot tolerate the violence. I was particularly disturbed by the events because I was looking for a change away from electoral fraud and the use of verbal violence. Both are acts of oppression and the hierarchy seemed not to have repudiated either. If the hierarchy had not failed to act against this kind of violent/oppressive behaviour it would not have occurred at consecutive elections for Leader of the PNC.
There has not been any noted enthusiasm for Granger’s election and there must be a reason for this. I suspect that it has to do with the fact that people are not convinced about the legitimacy of the election and Mr Granger’s capacity to combat the PPP and really attempt to build a Guyana of dignified citizens. The leadership of the PNC seems to be unaware that in politics there is a correlation between the legitimacy of its internal politics and a demand for support from the wider population. (See the Paul Harris cartoon in SN on Sunday, August 5.)
I am not in favour of the IMCs that the PPP are imposing on Guyana and I listened very intently to the appeal by the PNC on Channel 9 on Tuesday, August 7, for people to go to the City Hall to try to prevent such an imposition. I was amazed to see that the very allegations the PNC were levelling at the PPP in relation to the proposed IMC for Georgetown, the same could be levelled against the PNC at the just concluded elections. I found it difficult to go out. I took a nap instead. Until the PNC takes deliberate and calculated decisions to free itself of the incubus of the abuse of leaders and questionable elections, it will find that its support will continue to diminish as the years go by. The PNC should not insult its constituency and members of the society by believing they will accept their behaviour. This is the kind of behaviour that will turn people off and this has been going on for too long.
When I tried to discuss this issue with a couple of people, I was told that others do it. I was given examples of electoral fraud in various countries. So the fact that others practise widespread electoral fraud and inflict violence on others in a quest for power it means that all is well. Maybe my problem is that I am an academic and not a politician. Fortunately, the current silence in Guyana seems to indicate that there are many who refuse to be continuously abused, so maybe I can still be optimistic.
But what it also shows is that the issue is race and holding with your own. Indians have the term ‘apan jaat,‘ and Africans in Guyana have a phrase in that ‘It is what we got‘ – so we have to accept the nonsense and go out and vote for them again. But the past two general elections show that the AFC is providing a viable alternative to the PPP and PNC abuse, as well as the resistance act of abstaining from voting.
Yours faithfully,
Kean Gibson
