The ways in which the opposition can win the next national election

Jul 04, 2010 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

There are two requirements that the opposition parties have to adhere to without even a moment of consideration. There is nothing to consider. These two requirements are so priceless that without them there will be no victory.
The first one is that the PPP must be opposed by a grand coalition of all opposition units and the inclusion of civil society personalities.
The second sine qua non is there must be a credible East Indian as the presidential candidate and credible Indian candidates on the list.
However unpalatable that choice may be to those who think humans must judge their governments on their performance rather that their ethnic composition, the brutal, crude fact of political reality in Guyana is that Indians vote along ethnic lines and demography will allow the PPP to have a greater showing than its competitors unless there is a divine intervention.
That heavenly presence is the two requirements listed above. In this configuration, African Guyanese feelings will not be crucial in that they do not have a choice at all. African-Guyanese are going to vote en masse against the PPP. The problem is how Indians are going to cast their ballots.
Two incontestable factors come into play here. Who heads the coalition and who are included under the umbrella. Many names are coming to the surface – Major-General Joe Singh, Winston Murray, Khemraj Ramjattan among others. My analysis puts Moses Nagamootoo in front of them.
None of the Indian leaders that are named have the strategic advantage that Nagamootoo brings to bear on the electoral playfield. Nagamootoo has an appeal among total PPP constituencies that no other Indian leader can tap into before the next general election. PPP leaders will have an onerous time painting him with a dirty brush.
On the other hand, Nagamootoo can get into the psyche of the average rural Indian by citing his fantastic service to the PPP, unquestionable loyalty to Cheddi Jagan, and his mistreatment at the hands of those who betrayed what the PPP originally stood for.
I am not denying that many eminent national Indian citizens will appeal to Indians in Berbice and Essequibo. My main point is that Nagamootoo is more likely to pull more votes than them. Talks toward the formation of a grand coalition should begin as early as possible and Nagamootoo should be approached. I cannot conceive that Moses Nagamootoo could be so stupid to think he will be the PPP’s presidential point man. That can only happen if the Trinidad route is taken, meaning the party members make the decision. The PPP will never do that.
Either the PPP’s central committee or its executive committee will do the selection. All indications point to Donald Ramotar as next in line. Moses Nagamootoo is not going to be President of Guyana under a PPP banner. There is a greater possibility that he can be that person under a grand coalition.
Next there are the names on the list. Joey Jagan will have to play a prominent role in the grand coalition. Many persons told me that Jagan is unstable and they point to his comical behaviour with CN Sharma each week on channel 6. Even if that is true, more than 80,000 Indians do not know that but see him as the son of Cheddi Jagan. Like Nagamootoo, picking off Jagan will not be an easy task. Like Nagamootoo, he does not come with baggage and like Nagamootoo, he will have a lot to say about those who betrayed the original dreams of the PPP. It is not sufficient to have Nagamootoo and Jagan on the list, there must be a cluster of respected Indians including professionals from civil society.
The PPP will lose the general election if the opposition can pull from it about 18 percent of the total votes that traditionally go to the PPP from Indian constituencies. After 18 years in power and with a record that is truly horrible and sickening, the PPP is staring at defeat. The opposition is facing its finest moment. The winds of change are blowing all over the world and they favour the opposition.
All over the globe, people are voting for change. I doubt Indians will enter the next elections with the same hardened attitude as they did in previous polls. All opposition figures will have to sacrifice a little bit or maybe a large chunk of their ego and selfishness and put Guyana before their individual agenda. If the opposition misses this glorious moment, I honestly do not believe this country will survive to have a future.

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The ways in which the opposition can win the next national election

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