Dear Editor,
Guyana has already lost this election unless we have a political miracle. The Guyanese voter and man on the street will be the real loser in this election if they are presented with the same uninspiring choices.
The past year has confirmed the entrenched tribalism and fault lines amongst Guyanese voters. The recent images from Mr. Jagdeo’s campaign stop in Toronto reinforced the fact that the PPP is still the Indian party. It is plain to see the structural dysfunction of both the PPP and the APNU. The PPP’s base is divided and many are being forced to swallow the bitter pill of better young leaders being stifled by Jagdeo’s undying political ambitions that sees him continuing to be President through his proxy, Irfaan Ali, now gentrified with a UWI PhD. I wonder who the professor was that signed off on his thesis?
The rest of the Guyanese voters are being forced into the APNU coalition as the only other real choice than the PPP. And the APNU is the PNC with a fragile alliance of disgruntled political activists whose movements have fizzled and senior leadership who are getting long in the tooth and out of touch with the young voter base. But with no credible option to the PPP, the rest of the voters have only the APNU to turn to. This is exactly what Granger and the APNU are hoping for. As a voter, I feel cheated by these poor choices presented to me.
The bright rays of hope were some of the new parties that have emerged who were all led by capable individuals who all seemed to embrace a progressive vision of Guyana. Their problem was that the Guyanese voter is cynical and while they desperately want a new alternative and change, they are afraid they will be disappointed. What they need is to feel that a third choice had a chance of succeeding in a major way with a leadership team that was progressive and inclusive. Our miracle is a coalition of the new parties that has been discussed in hushed tones for many months with the notion being dismissed as being doomed to failure due to the egos of the persons involved.
Imagine a team of Shuman, Badal, Jonas, Hinds, Ramkarran and even Sohan if they could get past their egos and fall into the positions that suited their natural dispositions. Hinds would be a great Finance Minister, Badal would be in charge of the oil contracts. Jonas could manage Foreign Affairs, Sohan could be Home Affairs Minister and Ramkarran could be Prime Minister and lead the badly needed constitutional reform. For President, my vote says put Shuman to that job. Why him, well he seems well-suited for the job. A leader from a line of leaders, a pilot by training, driven into politics by a passion to serve the common man and the poor. He is unlike all of the other suspects vying for power and his integrity is not in question. Shuman is a refreshing change. Plus he put out the most progressive and detailed manifesto of all the parties.
Could we have a miracle and be presented with a credible third choice? A third choice that wins 20 plus seats in the election and forces a minority government? For that to happen, a few well intentioned men need to put their egos aside and work together for the benefit of the people of Guyana. I and many other Guyanese are praying for a political miracle this Christmas.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Govind Hinds, PhD
