Dear Editor,
I was disappointed, though far from surprised by the content of Dr Luncheon’s letter captioned, ‘Plunging Guyana into the past,’ (SN, April 7). Dr Luncheon’s letter is nothing more than a personal attack against the Leader of the Opposition, Mr David Granger, and a transparent attempt at scaremongering – a tactic for which officials of the ruling PPP have, unfortunately, become famous.
Dr Luncheon opines that Mr Granger craves power and advocates “Burnhamite policies”; the Cabinet Secretary wrote that APNU is being militarily run, and implies that the partnership’s leaders are all ex-military officers. Editor, Dr Luncheon’s attempt to scare Guyanese is bound to fail, since we all know the facts. Mr Granger has repeatedly said that he stands for unity, inclusion, open and transparent government and an end to winner-takes-all politics. The APNU was founded on the philosophy of inclusion, and the coalition has demonstrated that commitment by offering open invitations to all political parties, civil society groups, and private individuals. APNU’s leaders come from all professions and walks of life; some are lawyers, business-persons, medical doctors, teachers and academics. The fact that many intellectually talented persons are attracted to APNU may, of course, scare the daylights out of the current PPP – being as intellectually bankrupt as they obviously are. And if ex-military personnel and police are attracted to APNU, in addition to those other professionals, it may be because disciplined persons prefer to serve Guyana through a political body which embodies structure, discipline, respect for rules, and orderly conduct and behaviour. The majority of persons with experience in the disciplined services would not wish to be part of any political party whose officials are known for drunken brawling, hit-and-run accident causing, wife mistreatment, feral blasting, etc. Bright, intelligent people do not like indiscipline.
Dr Luncheon questioned whether or not Mr Granger was a PNC member while in the military. Editor, is Dr Luncheon joking? Surely, he knows that Article 40 (1) (b) of the Constitution of Guyana guarantees every citizen – including active military personnel – the freedoms of conscience, expression, assembly and association. Further, nothing in a soldier’s oath prohibits political affiliation. Dr Luncheon’s question, therefore, is nonsensical.
With regard to Dr Luncheon’s remaining opinions: if Mr Granger were truly power hungry, would he have committed the coalition to reducing the powers of the President, or insisted on the decentralization of power, by vociferously calling for local government elections, which Dr Luncheon’s party has refused to hold, in defiance of the constitution? Regarding the Berbice River Bridge, Mr Granger has said that the toll on the bridge will be reduced by a coalition administration. Obviously, Mr Granger prefers to put money into the pockets of poor Guyanese – of which there are multitudes – rather than into the foreign bank accounts of friends and cronies of the current oppressive regime.
Finally, I have followed Guyanese politics for some years, and I almost never hear anyone in the opposition mention Forbes Burnham. In fact, almost everything I have heard about the man, has been said by someone in the PPP. Now, I understand that the PPP uses Forbes Burnham as a bogeyman, to try to scare Guyanese. And I understand that the PPP has little choice because they cannot speak of their own accomplishments – they have none. But please, Guyanese are not children; put the bogeyman away. And please, let Mr Burnham rest; the man has been in his grave for thirty years.
Yours faithfully,
Mark DaCosta
