And snippets from the protest
You “regulars” know me. Though a man-in-the-street, working-class commentator, I pause a while before rushing in to weigh-in on the hot topics of national significance. Especially when thousands of lines are being written by those more knowledgeable.
But there are aspects, angles and perspectives one can isolate to emphasize when burning issues, scenarios, even scandals, break out. Today I choose to direct attention, once again, to our seminal Constitution for the Co-operative Republic of Guyana (with Amendments to 12th August 2003, as my copy indicates). (I pay tribute to Mr Tony Vieira, Mr Lincoln Lewis, Mr Sherwood Lowe, Mr Ralph Ramkarran and Mr Henry Jeffrey, who, among others, direct attention to the provisions in our Constitution – whether strengths, deficiencies or anomalies. As I do, Lewis advocates lessons on the Constitution in Secondary schools.
Actually, over the past two years my now-relatively muted NGO National Policy Think Tank, the GNCPP, caused me to “explore” our Constitution very frequently. I’ve even tried valiantly to encourage a series titled Constitution Corner which I prepared, to be carried by some newspaper! No luck with that yet, but such is life in this Republic. Under our Constitution.
You see, I hold the view that when Mr Ramjattan’s “pro-rogues” of Government caused the Tenth Parliament to be suspended, the Constitution, once again, became the vital framework within which the embattled regime demonstrated its legal but mischievous manoeuvrings. The whole scenario whereby Guyana is now without an active Assembly of the Parliament hinged on the exploitation of a Constitution crying out for urgent forensic reform.
Study, consult, critical change!
Somehow I have managed to misplace the column I did many months ago, featuring the names of the Parliamentarians and other citizens who participated in the last Constitutional reforms and who too, left in some very undesirable provisions which haunt us daily. (I recall names like Alexander, Roopnaraine, Ramkarran, Parris, Kirton, Anthony (???). Should not these dudes have a lot to answer for? Sherwood Lowe has just opined that when reform was last done “it assumed political maturity when little or none existed and, as such, provided too few mechanisms to control any government on a rampage”.
The framers of Mr Burnham’s 1980 Constitution would have been reluctant to foresee his death in 1985 or his Party’s elections loss in 1992. But reforms since then ensured that there is “a parliamentary standing committee for constitutional reform for the purpose of continually reviewing the effectiveness of the working of the Constitution and making periodic reports thereon to the Assembly, with proposals for Reform, as necessary”. Huh? When last? Nullified by you-know-who.
Mr Granger recently blurted out that APNU would table amendments to the Assembly’s Standing Orders, when chaotic uncertainty attended just how/when the Assembly would reconvene. (Speaker and Clerk bickered whilst Sam Hinds chuckled.) Good for the Brigadier! Now quickly examine the Constitution. Even ordinary concerned citizens and I know that how we get a president and government; how the Elections Commission is constituted; how our constitutional and other courts are appointed and managed; how election dates are determined, the roles of the president and Attorney General after Bills are passed should be matters, for urgent reform or introduction. For starters!
And I suspect that the current Constitution’s provisions regarding No-Confidence Motions and Prorogation would also warrant renewed interest, right?
The Assembly will reconvene. The Opposition and the people could make that sooner than later. Let Constitutional Reform reign thereafter.
The Donald Ducking Sequence…
See if I have it accurately! (1) The PPP/C President Donald Rabindranath tells AFC to “bring on” the No Confidence Vote. (2) The local Donald then sets a time-frame for Local Government Elections. (3) He then names a date for his Leader of the House to Re-Convene Parliament (one month late). (4) He then prorogues or suspends the Parliament. (5) He perhaps knowing/expecting usual timid behaviours from the now-voiceless masses, expects business-as-usual peace. Should the Opposition Majority allow this?
Guns, Police, Community, Help!
Just as days in Georgetown now suggest chaotic traffic gridlock, it seems manifestly obvious that gun crimes, including robbery under arms and all related violations of poor people’s safety, are about to spike viciously.
I’ll return to this issue. Must! But discuss: Do our good police have the wherewithal to ferret out the weapons the young bandits acquire? Can police get intelligence from communities they intimidate? Who teaches the young to use the guns? How, where through the borders do weapons come? Who brings them in? What can work to lessen or eliminate illegal weaponry? Rewards? Informants? Amnesty? Write in your ideas. A special dedicated task force?
Amidst Monday’s Protestors…
Slowness of limbs, suspect hip constitute only one reason I won’t join physical, robust street protests. I’ve called for more Gandhian non-violent protests against executive bullyism. Recall I encouraged using Gandhi’s photographs sometimes. Protesters should even maintain an ominous silence, use your own video cameras. Don’t attract police with noisy instruments. Chant reasonably.
Around the Public Buildings on Monday the protest was effective, even if unnecessarily loud. (There are subtle effective ways to use even anger.)
Witty, incisive remarks abounded “Many o’dem gun still shop fuh blinds at de PPP people store” “But dey en got nuff black people store!” was a retort. “But how uuh like de parliament clerk? Sherlock Teixeira? “Yes girl, and she is Gail Isaacs!”
“If Ramotar seize the Parliament’s Majority voice, if he now decide he minority vote ruling without Parliament, de majority shouldn’t tek that.” “De GDF still gat to respect de Constitution? With No Parliament?” “I seh No Co-operation! No Christmas as usual, no Mashramani!”
Even as most protesters never understood the term “prorogue”, which I encountered in the sixties with Cheddi in government, their emotions were thin, strident; on their sleeves and tongues. Let’s see how we can assist the Opposition today.
Yuh own louse…”
*1) The Folk Proverb advises: “When yuh own louse bite yuh, it bite yuh hat!” (it knows just where to attack. Familiarity! Former Friends!)
Recall the newspaper publisher calling Jagdeo on special cell numbers after the massacre of pressmen? Recall the columnist forbidden to criticize Ramotar? Ho-ho! We the people can benefit now…
`Til next week!
