Sars Cov-2: Responding to all variants
This, of course, is my own simplified sequence of modern-day intervention – both “subliminal” and openly direct – by the United States of America (USA) into our local colonial and post-colonial politics.
(I don’t know how much history of American involvement the young ambitious PNC Turks, not-so-cleverly utilising two/three front Groupings, considered, when attempting to “Americanise” their Party’s “anti-racism” agenda recently. I suspect that given America’s dire pre-occupations right now, the PNC would-be leaders won’t get far with immediate results hoped for. Letters to State Departments, Congressmen or no Congressmen.)
However, since poor President Biden won’t have much time and consideration for the retired Brigadier-PNC Leader Granger, right now it was a useful exercise for the youngsters to front for the Opposition in New York recently. Why?
Because, however long it takes, some element in one of the American Parties, will take note of the Guyanese assertions. That would be of some reputational worth for them to internationalise their status. If not now, in the future.
Here’s my own rapid snapshot peek backwards at America’s “interventions” here over the past 64/65 years. Both “undercover” and open in nature.
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Cold War communist fears, then, “democracy”
The silent, non-weapons, “cold war” between the victorious USA and the expansionist Soviet Union, began immediately after World War 2 ended (1945).
The victory of the PPP in elections of 1953 led by Communist/Socialist Jagan and Burnham was noted by the wary Americans, of course. Cheddi’s leftist PPP won again in 1957 soon after which a wily ambitious Burnham detached himself from the “original” PPP. Jagan’s third victory in 1961 proved too much for the Americans who were by then regarding South America and the Caribbean with more interest as the ideological, geo-political space featured both Cuba and Guyana. It was decided that Cheddi’s “communist” PPP had to be “retired”. Even as an actual attempted American invasion of Cuba was repulsed.
American support, it later was revealed, through Richard Ishmael’s MPCA “sugar union”, and to Burnham’s new PNC, ensured that strikes, protests and inter-race killings weakened the PPP resulting in a PNC/UF victory in 1964. Hail the Americans!
Eyes were kept on Venezuela and Cuba but for 28 years both America and a then–friendly CARICOM ignored Burnham’s electoral engineering to deny the majority’s will. Eventually, by 1991/1992 the senior George Bush reprimanded Desmond Hoyte. He then sent America’s “most successful ex-president” James Carter to tell Hoyte that the PNC’s time was up.
America and to a lesser extent, an evolving CARICOM, could not tolerate any more PNC “victories.” The rest is local political history. Hail the Americans!
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The PNC today: Funding and “Americanisation”
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a top military graduate had a word with our own military politician the Brigadier, who apparently wanted to outdo his mentor Burnham, and last year August the PPP regained authority over the oil-producer Guyana. Hail the Americans! (By the way does Donald Trump actually know Guyana? I know he met one of our former “Beauty Queens” but hail PPP Lobbyists!)
Now a fractured PNC has established busy little fronts in the USA. Someone is providing reasonable funding. Perhaps the promise of the oil plays a part! What will the Congressman and the Democratic Party “branch” achieve? You never know. Especially if the PPP does not utilise oil revenues equitably. Stay tuned.
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People and PPP National Development
I’ll have to return later to this segment. But note the following, even as the COVID pandemic consequences and severe flooding have challenged the economy: COVID 19, flood relief and pensioners cash grants; Guyana shore base; funding to support FPSO’s drilling for Oil/Gas; Region 2 small businesses to access govt cash grants; 6000 goal scholarships granted; $40M packaging plant for Sophia; Mahdia to get first training centre; Guyana Suriname economic co-operation active; new roads, highways; new bridge across the Demerara. The government will regard the above as a mere indicative sampling. When will we benefit? As I struggle on, will I live to benefit?
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My first contribution to the pandemic issue
And, this my first-ever serious contribution to the issues of the pandemic isn’t even my own at all.
As governments world-wide grapple with protective, preventative, curative mandates versus individual human rights, I quote from a Dr Anita Sircar a top infectious disease medical scientist from UCLA in the US: “… the SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has mutated countless times during this pandemic, adapting to survive. Stacked up against a human race that has resisted change every step of the way – inclusive of wearing masks, social distancing, quarantining and (now) refusing life-saving vaccines – it is easy to see who will win this war if human behaviour fails to change quickly.” For your deep consideration.
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Ponder deeply…
1) One of my favourite Ministers Comrade Mustapha says that the data compiled by his Ministry determined who gets flood relief grants. However, I sense some levels of studied deception. Investigate!
2) What’s happening with that massive unfinished building in the Health Ministry compound? Since Comrade Volda’s days?
3) What, local government elections this year? The voter list is upgraded? In this blighted land?
Til next week!
