General Elections? Another Jubilee already? Well, yes. You-all think I’m being way too premature? Think again.
Every day Bharrat Jagdeo’s new People’s Progressive Party (PPP) seizes on the woeful missteps and blunders of the Granger Coalition and actually campaigns towards the elections, scheduled for 2020.
Two personal relevant digressions here: it sometimes pains me to experience what the once-glorious PPP has become in the hands of the current incumbents at its top.
Recall that, emerging out of the think-tank Political Affairs Committee (PAC), the PPP was born, then birthed a virtual national political movement which utilised eventual adult suffrage to mobilise the working-class to, ultimately, represent themselves. No (local) history can detract from Cheddi Jagan’s tenacity when in 1946, he decided that the masses of British Guiana needed some “theoretical organ and political platform,” formed the PAC which inspired the creation of the PPP, which in turn triumphed at the elections of 1953. The Party of Jagan, Hubbard, Janet, later Burnham, King /Kwayana et al was a vehicle that was to both unite and divide our people. Do folks like Ramkarran, Rohee, Ramotar and Teixeira still draw inspiration from that original mass movement that was the PPP?
And what other Jubilee am I speaking about? Why it is the 2020 Republic Jubilee Anniversary (1970-2020)! But I’m getting ahead of myself. Back to “election.”
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Campaigns now, towards the Jubilee
Elections, they say, constitute merely one component of any free democratic society and State. In between polls there are a myriad of conditions, behaviours, constitutional provisions, freedoms, rights, governance, which must all combine and be ever-present in a whole true Democracy. But periodic, free, fair elections are one vital pillar. They throw up our chosen representatives. They give us governments and opposition who, hopefully, work for all of us. But the parties prefer to be in government. For various reasons- besides “the people.”
Little wonder then that here, the recently displaced new PPP uses the streets, the press conferences, the workers’ protests, the media to expose and oppose the APNU+AFC government policies and the (dire) consequences being now borne by the working-class. For those of us conscious and interested enough- even for the apolitical housewife or teenager- it is plain to see how much ammunition the Jagdeo-inspired Opposition and “masses” are being freely fed by the Government, its surrogates and party-friendly agencies.
I need not list the government’s ongoing anti-worker blunders- But, Frankly Speaking I’m experiencing the robust campaigning by the Opposition and their agents. To me right now the government (parties) can’t match the opposition. The taxes, the lack of prosecution of past executive thieves, the very early disconnect between government and governed, the people’s mood are all burying anything, any little good thing the administration tries to speak of. For the PPP, every negative issue – and there are many – provides for its continuous election campaign. Elections petition or not. So what about our enigmatic Brigadier-President?
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Future achievements, Jubilee politics
It is an almost undeniable fact: that just seven days before Republic Day next Thursday, the Mashramani mood and spirit is unbelievably damp- or non- existent!
Why? The cost -of- living, the disappointment with the 20-month Coalition, seeming stagnation and no hope to excite. Folks may know of the rickety economy the Brigadier inherited, they understand investments and national incomes take time; but as two years approach they want a subdued Granger to produce! As promised!
So the government’s top brass and academic P. R. outfits will tell of the “achievements” that have not yet “trickled down”; will point to re-training and re-deployment of workers; will promise more. Including oil!
The four-year build up to oil and gas production; hoped- for employment opportunities; ICT investors, “green-economy”, international assistance, ACDA’s Afro Development Bank; planned initiatives for economic advancement in places like Linden, Bartica and the Corentyne are all which the Granger-Nagamootoo-Ramjattan trio will and must plug this year. And do!
But come 2020, expect more Republic Jubilee clean-ups, pageants, projects Republican, parades, diaspora participation and an election campaign immediately during or after May 2020. Even if I’m not around then, you-all remember that A.A. Fenty predicted so! Okay? Discuss…
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Sweet Calypso- without “messages”
Just brief comments on one of my favourite passions- Calypso.
I’ve always embraced the concept of the celebratory aspect- Mashramani- of our Republic Anniversary every February. I like the month for the spirit of the 1763 Berbice Rebellion. I liked what Republicanism should have meant. But alas…
Ironically to me, in this second “Mash” under the Coalition, Calypso has struggled to come out on top during this year’s “season”. I feel it has succeeded. There are many sweet ole-time kaisoes this year. Win or no win.
Judges are advised to judge on such elements as lyrics, melody, originality, rendition, presentation, etc. Speaking for myself, too many sweet-sounding voices are not signing calypso for me, a purist. We now hear songs that are really ballads or “Kaisoca.”
And oh my- so many want to sing social commentary and political messages. To please their “crowds” – and some judges. What about kaisoes based purely on jokes/honour, superstition, sport, geography? Oh well—tonight Perai, Marcus, Pearl and Tshana will please me. But congrats this year- all calypsonians.
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`Til next week
(allanafenty@yahoo.com)
