Dear Editor,
Some time back Sir John Robert Seeley coined the axiom “history is past politics and politics present history.” What this means in Guyanese local parlance is not only the rhizome relationship between history and politics but also how politics and history have evolved and manifested themselves. Since 2015, some sections of Guyana have always wondered if the above would repeat themselves under the APNU+AFC coalition regime, namely the reoccurrence of PNC dictatorial doctrine of state cameralism and biological nationalism. Their suspicion was brought about by the current regime’s useless moribund manifesto, poor governance and now the refusal to accept or even acknowledge the constitutional verdict of the No-Confidence Motion. While the government has the right to appeal and carry its case against the No-Confidence Motion all way until hell freezes over at Caribbean Court of Justice, not everyone, however, is convinced or even fooled by its action. From outset, the government’s reckless, careless and callous actions have always looked like a duck, walked like a duck, quacked like a duck and now smell like a duck to them.
Shocking as it may sound to loyalists of the APNU+AFC coalition regime only a small section of Guyana disagrees with the feeling that the country is descending into a constitutional crisis and strongman tactics. The regime continues blaming, Charrandass Persaud, the messenger, instead of addressing his message: you have failed your supporters, your party, and above all, your nation to deliver as promised. For those not in the know, recently, rambunctious Khemraj Ramjattan on GlobalSpan24x7 lambasted Persaud calling him a Judas repeatedly. What a crying shame. Ramjattan and others like him in the coalition see politics as a self-contained game with inflexible rules. Party members must toe the line especially when the stakes are high. This position smacks at the heart of the coalition campaign and manifesto as well as at the “good life” promulgation for Guyanese. Instead of seeing the entrance into leadership as a historical moment to wield state power in accordance with visions of a good life for all, the regime has extended state benefits to itself and increased the tax burden on the populace, among others, with unconstrained freedom of action.
Upon reading the literature on the evolution of political history one is inclined to say that the mindset of the regime is not guided by grand ideas, which apparently should be the main focus, but how each individual should successfully apply him or herself for advantages within an
unstable political system. Do you remember the perks and salary increases coupled with the noble missing principles of transparency and accountability? Aww, it hurts bad, bad. The approach to understanding the individual within the current regime should not be on ideology and belief since that would be a futile endeavour and exercise. The focus ought to be on prosopography, a study of the collective biography of a group that invariably means exploring the hidden and dark side that frequently determines individual action. I have to call in the local Sigmund Freud to psychoanalyze “dem boys” in the regime.
There is little doubt that the APNU+AFC regime has “slapped up” GECOM to ensure that no Charrandass episode would ever be repeated under its watch. SN’s editorial “Democracy at risk” (02.25.2019) quipped that “There is no spin to be placed on it. The government majority on GECOM has allowed itself to be subverted and this constitutes a serious blow to constitutional governance and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.” Even the regime’s blind loyalists, extremists, and propagandists would shake their heads in the affirmative and say Amen you can say that again. A national responsibility now rests on those who have showered so much support and blessing to speak up and out against despotism in GECOM. One person said to me, “we have started the fire of resistance, we have to now encourage others to fan the flames of resistance.” It is a human thing to do.
Yours faithfully,
Lomarsh Roopnarine
