The PNCR leadership appears detached and most times dispirited

Sep 23, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The Corbinites and other political yard-fowls must cease alienating people that can serve our party with distinction if given the opportunity.
Moreover, there is no rationalisation for vindictiveness and recrimination when confronted by dissenting views or opinions.
In recent years the pattern of group thinking and follow-the-leader approach has gotten us nowhere.
Gone are the best strategists and thinkers – the party’s intelligentsia has been replaced by far too many females with less than stellar records of political accomplishment.
Many of the outstanding young male cadres that were perceived as future party leaders were systematically purged from the party.
Unfortunately, they are now sitting on the sidelines witnessing the apparent precipitous demise of a party, which they sacrificed so much to build and valiantly defended.
If one were to critically examine the political landscape in Barbados, it is crystal clear that unlike the PNCR, many of the political decision-makers were former youth leaders and political operatives. Why did PNCR leaders allow such a travesty to occur?
As a political observer I am disgusted and vehemently perturbed by the non-chalant approach of the PNCR parliamentarians in carrying out their individual and collective duty as the Main Opposition Party in Parliament.
Like many people I am frustrated by the lack of a coherent strategy to aggressively oppose the PPP/C cabal. Many of us in the Guyanese Diaspora that follow politics closely and Guyana body politic over the years are bewildered at the PNCR lacklustre performance in parliament, lackadaisical approach in holding this demonic regime accountable for societal degeneracy and its anemic-like responses to the PPP/C excesses since taking power in 1992.
Why so many Government Ministers and other officials were not charged and punished for crimes committed or even publicly admonished.
Based on criminal cases held in the United States well known ministers were identified/alleged for aiding and abetting/accessory to crimes and illegal activities linked to a criminal enterprise led by convicted drug-lord Roger Khan.
These nefarious criminals were responsible for wreaking havoc around the country, which resulted in the disappearance and assassination of several hundred Black males.
During the period 2002 to present the PNCR leadership appeared indecisive as phantom death squads and criminal gangs unleashed a wave of unparallel killings around the country.
All these occurrences took place and are still taking place even as our so-called leaders that aspire to be national leaders meander around.
While some of them twiddle with their thumbs, Buxton a former PNC strong hold became the epicenter of the deadly and unacceptable drug war.
Indubitably, the PNCR leadership most certainly proved indecisive on matters of grave national concern. These vexing social problems were largely ignored or received less than serious attention and focus.
Quite frequently, the PNCR leadership appeared detached and most times seems dispirited as the PPP/C completely controlled the optics and rhetoric of the public discourse. In fact, the PPP/C Government has successful marginalised our party and rendered it meaningless and ineffectual even as Indian nationalism has engendered widespread Black pauperization.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to negate abject poverty many PNCR supporters have concluded that survival means or requires gravitating to the PPP, which would ensure their daily sustenance because the PNCR has failed to provide material assistance or any tangible benefits to supporters.
Some PNCR members out of necessity have succumbed to the pressures. Many have become agent provocateurs, others transformed into appeasers and purveyors or conduits of deceitful acts against their own ethnic group. The PNCR now at its weakest point in history cannot escape the assault of PPP political terrorism/warfare.
The growing PPP influence in Linden, Buxton and other villages predominated by Afro-Guyanese reflects and or confirms a weakness/deficiency existing in the PNCR. This is further exacerbated by the inability to maintain and sustain loyalty among its rank-and-file. There is little doubt that the current PPP/C influence and overtures to Afro-Guyanese is a calculated effort to win hearts and minds, but more importantly to create distrust and divisions among Blacks.
This strategy appears to be working and therefore it would not be a big surprise if the PPP garners a significant increase of the Black vote in the upcoming general election, scheduled for next year.
Generally, the PNCR has turned a blind eye and deaf ear to the plight of party members and its once reliable Afro-Guyanese base. Since its ballot defeat in 1992, the party has not adjusted or adapted to its role as the Main Opposition Party and rather than resort to providing social assistance to its supporters it has taken the easy way out by ignoring the needs of Afro-Guyanese, given its paltry and unreliable assistance to a few hundred recipients at Sophia, while many thousands are left to fend for themselves.
Little wonder that many have turned to and found comfort and solace in other political outfits. Gone are the days when for the most part our party was well funded and even self-sufficient. Today, it seems the PNCR has retrogressed to the point that we now lack the capacity or are no longer able to organise events at any level, which would attract and appeal to huge crowds of members/supporters
Much to our chagrin, Afro-Guyanese citizens are left to endure the harshest reality of pervasive poverty with no hope of a better tomorrow. As a collective we were never confronted with this level of despair, apathy and fragmentation since emancipation from slavery, which was imposed by colonial plantation owners.
Sadly, the current East Indian Power elite, descendants of indentured labourers have seen it fit to discriminate and re-subjugate Afro-Guyanese. The irony is that African slaves paid the ultimate price to bring freedom to our land, which has enabled East Indians to be beneficiaries of the sacrifices made by so many Africans martyrs.
Oh where! Oh where have our leaders gone, can anyone please tell me or help me to identify who have replaced the many popular village leaders and stanch party members… the likes of Dr. Ptolemy Reid, Winifred Gaskin, Shirley Field-Ridley, Hubert Jack, Robert Jordon, Hamilton Green, W.O R. Kendall, David Singh, Sase Narine Singh, Dr. Mohamed Shahabuddeen, Frank Hope, Gavin Kennard, Dr. Kenneth King, Fred Wills, Sir Shridat Ramphal and Rashleigh Jackson.
Every party member, well-wishers and disaffected supporters (former members) must register their concerns as the campaign seasons moves into high gear. We must be mindful that our focus ought to be directed at regaining seats lost to the AFC in the 2006 general election. It is equally important that we focus our collective attention to ensure that all eligible voters are properly registered by the December deadline.
I urged that people consider returning home to register and on voting day be in a position to exercise the franchise even as you join others to work as election scrutineers or designated observers.
Maybe, party representatives in North America could facilitate a series of strategy sessions to maximize our collective efforts. However, nationals will not be enthused if PNCR officials continue to operate under a veil of secrecy and in a condescending manner. Comrades would appreciate contributing in ways other than providing finances to the party coffers.
Guyanese nationals should be contacted and encouraged to leverage their remittances in exchange for family members registering and casting their ballots come Election Day.
I fervently believe the PNC in its original approach to Guyana’s body politic is the only hope for an egalitarian society where racial separateness is a thing of the past. Guyana will emerge as a modern democratic state when its polity is united and racial voting and blind loyalty to party leaders are replaced with the rule of law, adherence to democratic principles and sustainable economic expansion.
Tony Jones

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