27 not out today! Politics in a mini-bus
Oil-producer/Oil producing country.
Petro-State. Oil Rich. Just three appellations that the media and other countries will use to describe this Big Beautiful but frequently Blighted Birthplace of mine – Guyana.
That’s because oil is now being pumped up from the Atlantic Ocean’s bed deemed to be (maritime) Guyana. Oil and gas are now instantly touted to transform a sluggish economy which will, expectedly, impact positively the lives of the less than million citizens resident here.
Yes friends, citizens and strangers: oil revenues/earnings are projected to do what gold, bauxite, manganese, timber, sugar and rice never did! Despite those massive resources only a few – not the masses – benefited over past decades. So which government, led by which Leader, will be appropriate and necessary to administer, to fairly and expertly manage Guyana’s brand new Oil and Gas Economy? For the benefit of all?
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The best man for the job
Current socio-political-electoral realities here indicate that a male presidential candidate will be elected to be Guyana’s Executive Head of State by the third/fourth day of March next. Thus the caption, “the best man…”
This brief piece is intended not to predict any winner who will preside over the nation’s life as from March. Rather we discuss what traits, attitudes, abilities, outlook, character should reside in the leader fairly chosen.
Political “Founding Fathers” Jagan and Burnham were dogged anti-colonial liberators. As with all leaders, they both had as many faults as they had excellent leadership credentials. To me it was always a pity that Hugh Desmond Hoyte – a partial, self-inflicted victim of rigged circumstances but seemly a President possessed of practical economic understandings could not get the opportunity to “perform” longer.
Now, of course, citizens eligible to vote- an electorate – must consider the following: David Arthur Granger, Irfaan Ali and various newcomer candidates vying to lead us. Okay the electors – 18-plus to 90 – by now know lots about the Brigadier-Politician, His Excellency.
But do they care anything about just how he became Leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC)? And how he structured an amorphous “Partnership” comprised of a few “baby” (political) parties? No PNC loyalist or AFC opportunist now cares about his Excellency’s repeated eye-pass for our Constitution. Frankly Speaking, some say that His Excellency likes only the Constitutional provision which tells him that he is “The supreme Executive Authority.” Is he still “the man” for the post-March top spot?
The PPP’s Irfaan Ali just cannot measure up to His Excellency’s status. The leader for “oil- rich” Guyana must attract expert and honest advisers of the highest integrity mixed with specific expertise. Could Ali attract such? Knowledge of Economics alone won’t suffice.
Two other Presidential hopefuls – Robert Badal and Rhonda Lam – just cannot win the Presidency. The mystery will therefore remain: if they can’t accede to function as leaders we will never know if they would have been the better choice. Over to you voters-electors.
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What!? Who’s “Honourable”?
A few afternoons ago I saw Mr Vidyaratha Kissoon outside a Robb Street bank generously giving away paper-back novels to anyone interested.
A day or two later a letter to the editor over his name raised the very valid issue of the prior Parliamentary misdemeanours of known dual citizens being virtually “pardoned”.
Vidyaratha argues that “it is sickening” that those so expelled, but now presumably “single” citizens, “can still plan to be addressed as honourable in the next National Assembly” with no fear of penalty” for their prior offences.” Interesting observation but the law can be so “accommodating.”
Regarding being “honourable” in or out of the Parliamentary Chamber, should we really believe that today’s political hustlers of all colours, the pretenders and newly-minted “Parliamentarians” can all qualify as truly honourable? Products of society’s working class, middle or upper class, some professions or trades some from dubious backgrounds; being catapulted to high government or Parliamentary office is no guarantee of honour, that respect, esteem and integrity that resides in but a few.
Honourable my eye! Come mid-March be on the look-out for the dishonourable, the fakes, the pretenders, even suave shysters! Elected or selected to serve. Again I say: probably the “best” of the bad lot.
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27 Not out! Minibus politics
Today – this year – marks the twenty-seventh anniversary of the man-in-the-street/working class-friendly column. But I won’t go on as I normally would, annually.
But still bring out the drums and the dancing girls! Because today is also a significant anniversary for me. And despite the election campaign, the Decades of Socio-political, economic mismanagement, unwanted doses of discrimination and racism; despite GECOM, GPL, PPP, PNC, Ali and His Excellency, it is still great to be alive in oil-producing Guyana. But will I witness second, third, 30th or 50th oil? (Minibus politics next Friday…)
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Briefly ponder…
.1) Suppose I convince my Head of Party list that I’ll never want to be a minister, a Parliamentarian or any government official whatsoever, can’t I be on a candidate’s list even as a Regional Candidate because I’m also a citizen of Zambia? Discuss…
.2) Will Brigadier Granger’s numerous Ex- GDF officers work under Brigadier Phillips ever?
.3) As we approach the Republic’s Jubilee, what do you know of the Rebellion of 1763?
’Til next week!
