Dear Editor,
The TUC’s Mr Lincoln Lewis indulges in frequent letters to the press in competition with the Mayor of Georgetown. Who is the winner so far? Singlehanded he could solve all Guyana’s problems just like Georgetown’s finest, most evident in his letter of July 7 in the SN titled ‘Evidence-based discussions needed on executive governance to address the interest of all.’ It reflects an eagerness to big up faded images, most superficial, by public displays of much public caring to influence national priorities. It is Guyana’s good fortune to have such gifted men writhing in agony, bruised and battered in big battles against bwana’s badness to boldly make things better.
Power-sharing based on race will never work. With compulsory power-sharing, race would have already automatically predetermined the outcome, so what is there to discuss any more? Which agenda is to determine when roti is substituted for cassava bread to eat bigan curry? Democratic elections and democracy will cease to exist as they would not be required, as race, again, would have predetermined everything in advance. Who will guard the national treasurer behind closed doors to prevent “one for me and one for you” done with a nudge and a wink by those at the top?
Obviously PPP/C government acquiesence will also give credibility for the PNC to make it a repetitive defining priority onwards.
Because the PPP/C has completely misread and taken its traditional support for granted it is paying the price. They will only dissolve Parliament for new elections once they have soothed their supporters’ feral anger which now troubles them. All threats from the AFC’s Mr Moses Nagamotooo of a no-confidence motion only exposes and magnifies his naivete illustrating why he is no leader. The PNC only humours them with consultations to gauge their plans. A no-confidence motion is absolutely dead and only adds to the smell in Georgetown.
For power-sharing to work it must be very clear what is being brought to the table by all sides. What does the trade unionist bring except needs and indeeds. Since he does not have anything to give he will huff and puff and threaten “ah going on strike soon…”
Say what brother? Tell it like it is! Nothing can ever increase production than a good ‘make law, break law’ garrulous ‘gyaff’ under the banner of shapeshifting trade unionism most anxious to point out other people’s faults. Discrimination and violations of this and that protocol are loud music from the stationary talking drums. The TUC has forever failed to admit and correct its own misdeeds and hatred of the past directed at Indo Guyanese workers. Some brave soldier will advance to be recognized and ask why the GAWU, with the largest confirmed membership in Guyana and the entire Caribbean, was never elected to the TUC presidency in its entire history. In our democracy no representative Indian trade unionist has ever been found to be qualified for that job. Power-sharing is just an engineered sham to ‘get some’ from whomever.
In fact any power-sharing cabinet would definitely seek to legitimise forever entitlement dependency as priority. Fur-thermore, since all races would, out of necessity, get equal representation in the larger than life cabinet, who will be the workers when everyone is also the boss? The current nightmare gridlock in parliament would become most geometrically tormenting because it will have become both the executive and the legislature. Should the PNC elect Raphael Trotman as their leader – he is a familiar face among Indo-Guyanese despite all his faults – they can sharpen their image of reconciliation, demonstrate inclusiveness and exhibit a new PNC face to the electorate.
It is so obvious that the trade unionist himself does not believe that power-sharing will be effective but rather will only make Guyana worse. Mr Lewis must be reminded that the quest to win elections is no entitlement or guarantee to shared power in victory. Since ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely,’ no government can last forever in a democracy with guaranteed free and fair elections. Those who believe they are quite capable of doing better must seriously consider the fruitful route of federalism within a united Guyana. Runaway parallel progress as one people, one nation , one destiny in the same country will provide the impetus to become successful, productive and self-sufficient for all. Even though we are now more culturally miscegenated with bigger diversity than our original six races, it will work. When the constitution is again changed for the fourth time to accommodate federalism, the national anthem will also have to be adjusted. It must reflect the country’s reality that we are more than six races. Within a federated Guyana, progress and individual successes will be set on a trajectory to end race acrimony because the four provinces will generate their own internal solutions better than the bequest of Britain’s banished bwanas which we have inherited. No to shared governance, yes to federalism.
Yours faithfully,
Sultan Mohamed
