Dear Editor,
Permit me to grace your newspaper with the following:
History. The Tenth Parliament, if it continues on its present merry way, will surely be remembered when our History is written, as the worst of Parliaments.
The Big Scissors. The rather infantile and ignominious statement (SN 2013-04-01) by the Opposition concerning the 21013 Budget, is more in keeping with that of a person who has a vendetta, and not (a) responsible Politician(s). We will once again have to live through and survive the bitterness and acrimony, which will be the hallmark of our Budget debate.
Reasoning. Mr Anand Goolsarran’s statement (SN 2013-04-01, page 18) is commendable and makes sense; unfortunately, some of the Opposition members of the Tenth Parliament, are not of his stature, hence they can never adjust to his reasoning.
Judgement In Shakespeare’s, Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene 2: Mark Antony says something about judgement. I wish to advise a particular set of our Parliamentarians, to consider that section of Anthony’s eulogy for Caesar, mixed though it was, before committing themselves to the Budget debate.
Buffer. When the present configuration of Parliament was revealed to the Guyanese people, everyone, (less the PPP/C), thought it was a good thing, even the Diplomats thought so. The AFC was seen as the Buffer in Parliament, a voice of reason, that would have been beneficial to all Guyanese: how wrong they were.
The Belief. It is not by choice that the AFC leadership is behaving the way it does in Parliament; it was forced upon them. There is a belief, and a terrible one it is, which they have inherited, it is like a cancerous sore, to them. Their aim is to show to all and sundry, that the said cancer, does not affect them, and that they are of a different breed.
The said belief centred mainly among Afro Guyanese, is that the Indo Guyanese cannot be trusted, more so if he/she is, or was a member of the PPP (remember the Leader of the Parliamentary opposition’s statement, in relation to the recommendation that Mr. Nagamootoo should be considered for the appointment as Speaker?). That belief among other things, fuels the racism in our society. Please, do not hide your head in the sand, like an ostrich; it is a fact.
Thus, Messeigneurs Ramjattan, Nagamootoo and also Monsigneur Kissoon (sorry Freddie), have a point to prove: then and only then, would that cancerous blight, be removed.
Yours faithfully,
CS Vaughn, MSM
Major (Rtd)