“Seasons greeting! All-all-all the best! Happy successful holidays! A victorious New Year 2020! Compliments and confidence of the season!”
********
PNC Christmas War Room
All the above loudly expressed sentiments resonated and reverberated around the elections war room as the PNC key strategists and activists gathered for a final 2019 confab.
For the first time representatives of the APNU paper parties and think-tank one-man-group, as well as five lame-duck, deadmeat AFC top brass were invited for the campaign briefing. Comrades were reminded that the war room was really constituted of the plenary-type, open forum and an operations department. Of course, there was also the inner caucus – an Oval Office-type internal eyes-and-ears-only strategic group used for top secret planning long before any plenary or publicity. Naturally all levels were headed by His Excellency – the political Brigadier.
Confidence, back-slapping, laughter, even loud mirthful boasts permeated the war room this time. Why?
Man even if you’re as apolitical as Santa Claus, you should easily appreciate the pre-campaign launch excitement; the post First Oil impetus flooding Congress Place. Factors and reasons included: one full year of defying a successful No-Confidence Motion (NCM); being “caretaker/interim” when EXXON/Guyana’s oil first flowed and what eventual takings from the “black gold” could mean for the PNC’s longevity in political power; freedom to use government millions to campaign through “outreaches”, fetes, donations and gifts; an overall successful strategy to nullify the PPP’s opposition with the image of a weak inarticulate, often invisible leader-candidate.
Ironically His Excellency the Collective Leader spent some time bringing the enthusiastic comrades’ glee to the ground. “Comrades we actually launch our parties’ election campaign in early January,” he reminded smilingly, “so I’m pleased at your confidence and enthusiasm this morning. But de wuck now start an as a seh months ago “I doan inten to leff (office) fuh jus now!” Roars of approval erupted.
The following were a few agenda items:
Campaign launch strategy – including venue, timing, mobilisation and speakers – including the powerful surprises.
Comrades Volda, Amna and Christopher to ramp up sometimes aggressive, sometimes softly-subtle forays amongst women and the youth, boldly courting “our silent unpredictable First People”.
Accepting fresh new diaspora faces and funds – (details for Inner Caucus).
A pointed but powerful target of 36 seats in the Post-First-Oil Parliament. Strangely, His Excellency ended the session with a curious caution: “Comrades we must still recognize our challenges – what the influential foreign friends are thinking; what can derail March Second as Polling Day, and how to influence the new parties which are able to actually contest. Onto our joint massive launch…”
*******
Silent but real situation room panic
Irfaan’s crumbling image. Possible judicial problems looming for both him and Anil. Troubling mixed messages from American consultants who seem to be thinking of more pay. Growing reluctance from three diaspora “big ones” who feel promises of oil-and-gas “opportunities” are disappearing. Inability to match campaign funding available to government campaigners as local business interests’ financial support seem to be waning – frighteningly so.
All the above PPP General Secretary, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, laid bare, whilst overweight young candidate, Dr Irfaan listened. Hardly contributing to most agenda items, the newly-designated “doctor” candidate seemed mostly mute, as if invisible.
General Secretary Jagdeo was extremely blunt: “Why do we have to argue about a Campaign Manager at this stage?” he demanded.
The latter was spawned because some comrades from the East Coast Demerara proposed to replace the Freedom House incumbent with “a younger, electable Campaign Manager with brand new innovative ideas.” The compromise from the Boss Bharrat was to appoint their nominee as “adviser” to the regular campaign chief.
Varying from lukewarm to animated Cde Bharrat succeeded in rallying enthusiasm with the following items: continue electoral agitation amongst retrenched sugar workers – they constitute one solid seat, amongst the others “guaranteed.” The numerous small party threat to the Congress Place plans and projections; surprise cross-over switches engineered by Gail, Indra and Robeson; embracing SN Friday columnist Fenty’s advice to ensure neutral consultants and observers scrutinize closely GECOM’s Officer Lowenfield’s IT unit in the Secretariat and having transparency and active vigilance over the selection of the ten (10) Returning Officers and certain polling stations from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm on polling evening.
Candidate for President Irfaan’s only contribution centred around (a) lauding the six PPP letter writers to the print media, but also requesting the youth to “match the APNU/PNC on social media,” (b) reminders not to abuse harshly the new parties and (c) finalizing plans for the 3 formal launchings on the Corentyne, EC Demerara and Lethem.
The session ended with quotations from Cheddi Jagan, Nelson Mandela and the brand new Manifesto 2020.
Securing His Excellency’s 36 seats
First VP Moses’ Chronicle has alerted all citizens and the eligible electorate that His Excellency’s incumbent grouping intends to win, triumph with 36 seats! Out of 65.
I’ll return to the 36-seat election strategy. But a PPP-friendly Lomarsh Roopnarine has influenced me with his views on how His Excellency strategized to get a not-unfriendly GECOM Chairwoman and how the few AFC “Indians” might influence PPP “Indians”. Though the latter is rather unlikely, oil-incentives can change minds and votes. And oh, Lomarsh’s views on the “independence” of GECOM!
Government campaigners now in the hinterland can also sway significant First People voters. Especially if Mr Shuman’s LJP stays stuck at the electoral gates. The army/police vote, young black professionals, new 18-23 voters promised an oil-and-gas/UG future can all produce His Excellency’s 36! But more next time.
************
Solutions and prognostications
Look, between today and next Wednesday write down five major achievements you wish to succeed with in 2020. Categorise your other twelve.
Self-improvement, community enhancement and security, assisting others, whatever government emerges, should all feature in your resolve.
Prognostications now (’til later): The government group will “triumph” whenever elections are held. By all/any means at their disposal. (2) Big buses will re-appear on our streets but the so-called mini bus Code of Conduct will remain a sick joke. (3) Government (APNU) will “acquire” more private property (eminent domain). (4) Members of the GLBTQ Community and SASOD will be well-represented on the Nomination Party Lists. (5) Opposition Leader Dr Bharrat will still not formally marry anyone in 2020. More next time.
Ponder please…
Katyra, Lavorne, Shantadevi and many others have just applied to Minister Felix to become Guyanese citizens. Why?
Congress Place comrade: “The closest the PPP will get to our oil and gas sector is “producing petroleum products – continuously (PPP-C)!”
Another early campaign masterstroke: the PPP’s (Farmer Nappy) jingle knocks Councillor Clayton’s “kaiso” for six! (Reminds me of my own PNC experience in 1992.)
’Til next week!
