-one Brigadier, two Majors-General
(Two upfront “relevant digressions”: Do you realise that one, two or three representatives of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) have letters appearing in three local newspapers, daily!? (The Chronicle is as of the recent past-resorting to being overwhelmingly “government-friendly”.) And by “opposition” I mean not merely the formal PPP parliamentary/political opposers but include their civic surrogates, business interests, analysts and critics, columnists and professional letter-writers to editor.)
*****************************
For Granger’s PNC, because…
Fans and regulars of this Man-in-the-Street Friday offering would know how I was intrigued by the Retired Brigadier David Arthur Granger’s masterful manipulation to become at one time- leader of Burnham’s People’s National Congress (PNC), Leader of the (mostly amorphous) APNU and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. Now the retired officer and historian is both president and a constitutional component of Parliament! Not bad for a once-relative political neophyte.
However, Frankly Speaking, I voted for the Granger-Nagamootoo ticket in May 2015 simply because I thought it was long overdue for the PPP cabal to be evicted from control of our lives
I really was not too great a fan of either Granger or Nagamootoo when I reflected on my own involvement in (PNC) politics between 1973 and 1992 to ‘97.
******************************
`The day(s) God hath made?’
When the retired Brigadier was certain of his victory he stood high outside his campaign headquarters on Crown Street, Georgetown and declared to all loving, frenzied supporters: “This is the day the lord hath made”. The victors – and most of Guyana – were advised to “rejoice and be glad”.
Then followed his National Stadium inauguration and national budgets promising us all “the good life”. Now it’s not that campaign manifestoes’ promises can all be fulfilled at any quick trot after governments are sworn in. However, attitudes, general demeanour, policies and governance are all on display for us to judge new rulers by.
The first six-month honeymoon for the coalition came and went. The newcomers gave themselves a hefty salary increase during that time. Many were patient during the first year as it was appreciated that mountains of corruption and mis-management were inherited. But now more than two years have passed and the APNU-AFC administration is no longer “new” and the formal PPP opposition knows what deficiencies to look for; it even knows the real reasons for this government’s blunders.
Crime-fighting has slowed down the circulation of cocaine cash in the parallel economy; business has indeed diminished and the government – led by the president himself – is guilty now of grave mis-deeds. I agree that the president ignored the constitution regarding the criteria for a chairperson of GECOM. I agree that many of the Commissions of Inquiry were unnecessary. Mr. Nandlall is accurate about presidential assaults on the constitution. To me too, frankly speaking, both the inquiries into the alleged assassination plot and into ancestral lands were mounted for specific purposes other than the stated objectives and teams. And yes, non-disclosure, confidentiality clauses or not, Much more about the government-ExxonMobil agreement could be revealed to us the would-be beneficiaries of our patrimony.
I must admit: even the above sampling makes me pained to have to agree with Mr. Jagdeo’s Opposition. What should I do?
******************************
Three “social situations”
I understand that Major-General (Rtd) Singh is tasked with clearing our sidewalks of the “homeless”.
I’ve always held that in a land of vast resources and a small population our proportion of vagrants, wanderers and mentally challenged and drug addicts is way too high. Reasons are varied. There are still laws regarding vagrants and loiterers, but laws seldom work in this regard unlike that which obtains in other societies-as in Cuba.
I suggest new legislation that will enable the removal of street-dwellers to structured facilities where they will be treated medically, taught life skills and produce their own food before, ultimately, being returned to a society with employment opportunities.
Beggary around Georgetown is now “business” and employment. Observe certain life-long beggars on the sidewalks. A minimum of $2000 a day, $12,000 a week is just about what a waitress or security guard makes. Begging pays!?
I know a young lady who never uses make up lavishly and never adds wigs, extensions or weaves to her own natural hair and she does not own a cell-phone. Ha!
******************************
On Brigadiers and Majors-General
President LFS Burnham once made young Berbician policeman Robert Williams a Minister of Fisheries. In the parliament lobby I saw then Commissioner Lloyd Barker saluting his one-time constable-turned minister. Ho-ho!
We now have the retired Brigadier being able to “prevail” over his one-time seniors Majors-General McLean and Singh.
Ho-ho! How does the Brigadier now view those two one-time colleagues? Discuss…
*****************************
Ponder- then decide…
In Trinidad and Tobago some convicted accused are sentenced to years of hard labour. What is that?
Gravity can’t be suspended if the house is old but why did 12-year-old Amber have to be crushed to death?
Coming soon: Don’t speak ill of the dead? Why not?
Shouldn’t residents of Bourda petition the President to tone down the shade of green on his massive Presidential wall?
`Til next week
