-`Majority’ – when meanings matter
How diverse can I attempt to get on this eleventh day of Guyana’s New Year? Well today’s offering is a darn good try – as I roam from national security to health care to legal consequences of Charrandass’ “conscience”.
Just a few commentators were forceful in their assessments of Venezuela’s presumptuous contempt for our economic maritime zone, amidst the more sensitive, political, controversial no-confidence vote. Surely every prominent citizen who sees himself or herself as some level of leader must wage battle and defence against this naked aggression from the Venezuelan “leadership” against our American investors – and our sovereignty.
But just for a little background and context. Our current President, embracing his undoubted military – strategist persona, dubbed certain communities along our western border as “Frontline” communities. Put simply, he meant such hinterland and riverain locations, through all loyal and patriotic residents – especially their leaders, councillors and officials – must be the eyes and ears always ready to alert the more central, coastal authorities about unfriendly, suspicious strangers. Even about local troublemakers or saboteurs.
But it seems to be a challenge. On both sides frontline regional chairmen complain of inadequate support from the capital. In terms of enough professional and equipped military; resources to accommodate Venezuelans and the naked aggression of the Syndicato Venezuelan gangs – intimidating and robbing hinterland Guyanese who are sometimes compromised to pay “protection” fees. This all amounts to outright violation of Guyanese rights, national security.
I wonder: how often do the ministers of public security, communities and citizenship visit? The army and police chiefs? How can the recent reshuffle of regional chairmen and REO’s help the challenges on our borders?
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And now, global geo-politics
As hinted above I salute those commentators who are keeping focus and spotlight on recent/current Venezuelan anti-Guyana activities. It is rare but necessary for both our government and opposition leaders to demonstrate and mobilise national resistance to the Venezuelan government’s blatant aggression against both our investors and our patrimony.
And now a desperate Maduro courts Russian supersonic bombers and possibly a full-fledged Russian military base to shore up his anti-democratic survival. Not to be outdone, brand-new Trump-like Rightist Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro indicates that he might not be averse to accommodating the Donald’s military might. Super-power strategic geo-politics have arrived right next door therefore.
The GDF and all our “frontline regions” combined can’t dare counter one Venezuelan jet fighter providing cover for its desperate land forces or impudent marine invader-pirates. Trump’s American military and geo-economic interests must be courted to help Guyana fend off both Syndicato thugs and the Venezuelan hungry military. Added to all the sophisticated international and regional diplomacy.
Charrandass and his AFC vice presidents
No, I dare not attempt too many paragraphs on the volatile No-Confidence Motion. Tons have been and are being written. So the following lines are derived from AFC-related cynicism. Now consequent upon the APNU(?)-AFC pre-election Accord, His Excellency subsequently appointed Vice-Presidents like peas! PNC-at-heart Raphael needed none. But former PPP spoilers comrades Moses and Khemraj have become two top VPs.
Naturally, the two have been in the forefront in the crucifixion of their Berbician-defector comrade. So much is there to be lost!
With personal cynicism generated by our “politics”, I recall Vice President Khemraj saying, long ago, that should the AFC join with the APNU-PNC, the AFC would become dead-meat. You can’t fault his accuracy! Before the December 21 vote, Vice President Moses declared that there was “no point taking this dead-weight motion into the new year (2019).” Dead meat and dead weight!
So why did Dr Jagdeo attempt to postpone to this January? More votes!? Why did the VP Ramjattan offer safe-passage security to Charrandass only to turn around and have the police investigate the defector’s debts, gambling, Ogle departure, etc? Oh for parliamentary violations? Okay.
The meanings of majority
I give thanks to UG academic and former PNC MP Sherwood Lowe for sharing his research relevant to the possible varied meanings to the word and concept, “majority”. His recent correspondence also invited the judiciary to enlighten us – the ordinary – as to “how they approach the interpretation of the law”.
His research reveals that at times in legal text “a word can assume as many as five different meanings”. No need for me to repeat a most compelling advisory. (You may check his 2015 Chicago Law Review (Professor Fallon) and the Harvard Law Review March, 2018.)
Because I never had the benefit of any sustained tertiary education, I maintain that 33 is always more than 32. Poor me.
So much to ponder…
1) Church’s/CAMEX businessman Mr Campbell should rest assured! Despite your revealing that you wanted to prevent a PPP resumption and about the millions you donated to the PNC fellows – PPP supporters will still enjoy well-done Church’s Chicken and Mario’s Pizzas.
2) Quantify the accumulated costs of the numerous inquiries and audits since 2015. Relate it to the outcomes so far. Worth it? Convictions to come? Remedial procedures garnered?
3) Name four more possible defectors to go public by the next elections.
4) How is the new young Georgetown Mayor settling in? List 4 reasons the PNC councillors used to catapult him into that hot seat.
4b) Brace yourself! Pre-election formations: Toshao Shuman’s party, Ras Leon’s party, a third (PNCPP?), ANUG, Youth for Local Govt Party, RISE, Policy Desk.
How many thousands of migrants and refugees do Argentina, Israel, Saudi Arabia, China, New Zealand and Russia accept annually?
(All the above submitted before Wednesday’s meeting between His Excellency and Dr Jagdeo. Bet they plan to meet again…)
’Til next week!