Frankly Speaking

Happy Holidays to our Prime Ministers I know that Guyana’s late legend of local trade unionism Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow was fond of reminding folks that “Politics follows you from the cradle to the grave.”

At this stage of my Guyanese existence – inclusive of my childhood exposure to a very wide variety of Christian teachings – I welcome any criticism which describes me as a “Christmas Skeptic” now.

I promise a most brief, brief today. Since early March of this year, when the COVID-19 Pandemic ushered in our very own Corona epidemic here, I easily modified my post-75 social outings.

Positive “C’s”, Negative C’s I’ve decided that the issue indicated in my lead caption deserves some repetition.

– Even co-operation against COVID impossible?   Whilst at my own book-signing event at Austin’s Book Service two Fridays ago I came across a few village histories in the store.

Once crooks, now paragons of virtue I’m hoping that many readers, besides my weekly “regulars”, will tarry long enough today to accompany me through these few paragraphs of national historical nostalgia.

COVID, the laptops and the cable President Donald James Trump has certainly succeeded in making the American elections of November 03 “far from over.”

– That darn COVID conquers my comics! Just couldn’t be completely lighthearted as planned again when I realized that today’s offering is on the cusp of the culmination of one hundred (100) days of the still -“new” PPP 2020 administration.

“Infect?” In a medical/health-care context to infect means to contaminate (especially with some disease or “some disease-producing matter; as in communicating pathogens.”)

Provocateurs! Exposing racism, promoting racism Even I, an untrained political analyst or hardly a trained qualified historian, would know that a very limited Op-Ed piece such as this would do no justice to even attempt a history, development and status of Guyana’s two political behemoths – the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the People’s National Congress (PNC).

-Lawfully punishing electoral thieves – possible? Very briefly today I attempt to discuss in my usual simple, grassroots, man-in-the-street manner – the issue of the responsibilities of both citizens and government as partners in national, community and personal developments.

– Other people’s views Today and this weekend should conclude some 10 weeks since the “new” PPP government assumed office.

“We waan Justiss!” – What is justice? As the Emergency 2020 Budget debate was being concluded, the revitalized PPP General Secretary – Vice President- Member of Parliament, Comrade Bharrat Jagdeo lamented: “Mr Speaker there are no honest interlocutors on the other side…” I was and am persuaded that he was, by and large, accurate in assessment and conclusion.

– Some positives from the Pandemic This working-class, man-in-the street column has survived virtually twenty-seven (27) years.

Welcome Secretary Pompeo, Welcome Mike! Besides the now annual National Budget Review by Ram and McRae, I found myself looking out for some form of critique from the immediate past Finance Minister.

-Seriously! Any hope for Vendor-City Georgetown? What do I mean by “17-month mindset”?

The promise of inclusion: Persons and projects With all the happenings “of national significance” which now abound around us – battling with the COVID-19 plague for attention – I am often tempted to throw in the towel.

– Rivers of Red, Seas of Green, Streams in between Once again, readers would be accurate if they discern that the rather rambling thoughts hereunder are born of my own hopes wishes, even expectations as the “new” government begins to manage our national affairs, our resources, our “governance”, our future.

High standards for PPP Comrades now, my own wish list Hello friends I plan to go very easy on your concentration and tolerance today.

Battered as we are; hundreds of thousands of our countrymen in optional voluntary overseas exile; and with decades of our development delayed and denied primarily through political selfishness, do we dare to hope during this beginning of another People’s Progressive Party (PPP) national tenure?