Two terse introductory points up front: because I don’t –and suspect can’t- write every day, a Selwyn Persaud (KN Sat. 17, Feb ‘18) beat me to it since last Saturday. Secondly, I admired how his Excellency, not-so-subtly, promoted his christening of the 2002-2008 crime wave period as “the troubles”, whilst speaking to the Police Officers last week. Beautiful element of the art of the propagandistic naming of things and events. His Excellency is a master! (Soon you’ll hear the officers parroting “troubles” –as I’m doing now).
My concern, as stated herein before is that the numerous “troublous” Inquiries might easily become characterised as strategic mechanisms by the Granger Administration to decimate the political opposition who comprised the government during the rampage period of His Excellency’s “troubles”. Recall what current PNC Chairman and the then Opposition claimed when the Ramotar/Jagdeo folks held their pre-2015 election inquisition into Walter Rodney’s assassination.
Whether you, dear reader, are a Party member or supporter, or just an a-political citizen facing Guyanese life’s daily challenges, you will become a spectator, part of a national audience to political court-room-type theatre when these series of inquiries get going. (Unless you isolate yourself from all media.)
Even as you observe the principal players/actors – the Commissioners, the witnesses, the defence attorneys and all types of “experts” be interested enough to figure out whether these hearings can indeed produce some sort of “closure” as touted; or indict the originators of the mayhem; or score political pre-election points; or even provide some “calculated” compensation to some comrade(s).
His Excellency has already enumerated about six/seven massacres to be investigated by his series of inquiries. Now stand by for calls to inquire into such situations as the safe havens provided for the 2002 escapees and the relative failure to secure the populace, by the Police and the Kith-and-Kin Army, during His Excellency’s troubles. Those who made themselves interested could be in for a long haul 2018: Independence Celebrations, Oil and Gas Production Preparations, Local Government Elections and inquires like peas!
Sharing a Comrade’s strong, strange views
My grandmother, teachers and doctor have all warned me about the dangers of too much alcohol drinking. The late most versatile journalist Henry Walter Josiah advised me never to waste a good drink! The drink and time should invite either good recreational levity or informative discussions, Henry promoted.
Interestingly, last week I encountered an old die-hard PNC “comrade”. From Burnham to RHO Corbin “Commo” remained loyal, faithful. He says he’s not really a “Granger man” but he’ll “die PNC”. Now read two strong strange opinions and queries he put to me over steady beer.
Comrade Commo wants Shaheed Roger Khan to be sent back to Guyana for “the Inquiries”. The 60-plus comrade says Khan as “a state witness” can reveal “shocking facts to sink former big ones”. When I told him that Khan could lie about certain personalities and their roles in the Black Clothes/Phantom Squads, Commo rebutted saying – vehemently – that “the American’s” will know when he is contradicting the plea-bargain evidence he offered them for a lighter sentence. Khan will then be in more jail trouble when taken back to the USA as the American citizen he still seems to be. Commo had me there. What do you think? Would Roger’s evidential facts be all verifiable? Discuss…
Meanwhile, I am in agreement with most of the sentiments of Selwyn Persaud who dissected the declarations of Lindo Creek Commissioner Justice Trotman who already seems to be betraying mixed signals regarding just what he sees his Court uncovering. As Mr Persaud shares, some people’s perception about these Inquiries could be transformed into actual reality about them. Tread carefully, all commissioners.
The Newspaper and Exxon
But it was Commo’s second major point over the beer which nearly floored me. And he was nowhere near being high. Just continuing to be a fierce old PNC comrade.
As I was praising the Kaieteur News for its relentless investigative scrutiny and daily reports relevant to ExxonMobil, Oil-and-Gas agreements and other countries’ experiences, Comrade Commo stunned me. Said he – with serious concerned countenance: “Do you know that the paper could be undermining we future?” (How come, I asked). “Dey look like dey favouring some other company after Exxon done do all de wuk – exploration, wells, oil and suh!”
That view certainly caught me by surprise. And when the old loyalist comrade wondered who was “paying” the paper to make his Party “look bad”, I changed the subject. You can hardly persuade a veteran comrade. Right?
Mashramani thoughts…
- Hail today’s Republic Anniversary. We certainly consolidated Constitutional Independence four years after May 1966. But in terms of economic Independence and stability?
- Government-related good news for today: 18 New Police Stations to be friendly to specific publics; Ebini savannahs to be transformed into giant large-scale agriculture; the President visited the border communities with a long-term purpose.
- Will the AFC and APNU cease the charade about contesting the local elections separately? Please! If the elections are fair, the PPP will win those anyway.
- When a qualified Guyanese expert returns from overseas to serve here, is he Guyanese or professional first?
- Can you name any event in Guyana that starts exactly on time?
Till next week!
(allenafenty@yahoo.com)
