Emile Mervin is on integrity collision

Jan 15, 2011 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Emile Mervin is on integrity collision not even the party on whose behalf he tells these scandalous lies will be able to help him save face. I refer to his running gossips in the Kaieteur News of the 9th, 10th, and 11th January, 2011.
1. Emile says Bharrat Jagdeo and Robert Corbin have engaged in secret meetings on parliamentary matter as President and PNCR Leader and did not tell the nation. Can he list the dates of these meetings?
2. The Leader of the Opposition (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill 2009 was “passed with the full support of the House though current Opposition Leader Robert Corbin was absent,” so reported SN, “House passes Opposition Leader benefits bill”, 9th April, 2010.
Emile, the AFC voted in support of this Bill! He is so consumed in his rumour mongering that he failed to realise this fact and so proud is he that his gossip is allowed space to spread in the newspapers he inserts the very April 9, 2010 article as a blog to his SN letter “In Guyana politics never rule anything in or out” 9/1/2011.
3. Emile says “government became engulfed in criminal corruption right after street protests and demonstrations were called off by the new PNCR Leader.” As far as everyone knows this government has been engaged in criminal corruption forever. Mr. Hoyte used to call it “executive lawlessness.” If the PNCR is not engaged in street protest why isn’t the AFC and why doesn’t Emile call on the AFC to go to the streets and protest?
4. Emile says, “The PNCR Leader has been a virtual no-show as the main Parliamentary Opposition Leader in the face of government’s escalating abuse of public funds and dictatorial tendencies.
The late Winston Murray became the face of the party’s leadership.” Winston Murray was the PNCR Shadow Minister of Finance and was the Party’s voice on public funds. If the PNCR is silent on public funds and dictatorial tendencies, why doesn’t the AFC fill the gap Emile thinks exist? They are getting taxpayers’ money too. Or does he believe that this is not their duty too?
5. Emile says “government is brazenly ramping up questionable deals and projects involving public funds even though it has a few months left.” From Emile’s continued gossip he speculates that the PNCR is responsible for this, so why isn’t the AFC responsible, too?
6. Emile says “Parliament approved generous retirement packages for both the President and PNCR Leader, even though the PNCR Leader extracted nothing substantive from government for his main constituency.” Can Emile give the date and name of the Retirement Bill parliament approved for the PNCR Leader?
Emile is so smitten with his gossips that he moves from the PNCR and PPP speculative alliance to gossip about what he thinks is happening with PNCR elections and the upcoming one for presidential candidate. The expectations he has of the PNCR he should ask the AFC to rise to the occasion and deliver them.
The PNCR is conducting a new type of process to elect the presidential candidate and poor Emile cannot stand this progressive feat. He hates it because it puts the AFC in the shades and exposes its monarchical-dictatorial structure. He is too ashamed to admit that the anointed, Stalin tactics and democratic centralism of the AFC is not good new politics.
To elect their presidential candidate the feared members had to raise their hands to show support for the anointed leader or risk the leadership wrath. Emile is trying to divert attention from the numerous attacks Michael Carrington got from his own party buddies for wanting to run to be their presidential candidate and Peter Ramsaroop quitting the party because of its undemocratic nature.
Can Emile answer why an AFC leader did PR work for notorious Fip Motilall and sat through a press briefing hearing Motillal lied that he has road building experience and did not dissociate herself? Can he say if the fact that another AFC leader husband gets contracts from the government causes her to vote with the PPP in parliament, even voting for the wrong things? Would the AFC promise never again to treat anyone as shabbily as it treated Gaumattie Singh who gave her time and money to the party 2006 election campaign and got cast aside? Can Emile list three substantive things the AFC achieved for its main constituency since it went to parliament in 2006?
As Emile focuses on the PNCR he ignores the undemocratic AFC and their deal peddling leaders who vote with the PPP. If there is any opposition party who is allowing this government to get away with its criminal and dictatorial attitude it is Emile’s AFC. Go check their voting record, there inept excuses for not wanting to protest and lukewarm condemnation of government corruption and discrimination.
Would be good too to have a study of the AFC management and compare it with democratic and dictatorial characteristics then report back what tendency the party displays most. This time around no speculative gossips; only the hard facts.
The only speculative gossips about a Jagdeo and Corbin partnership or PPP and PNCR partnership are the AFC’s through Emile. He is their Goebbels, but even Goebbels would be ashamed at their efforts. People are seeing through them for all it’s worth. They do not want to go out in the hot sun and do the hard work to get people to register and pick up their ID cards, they are too compromised to condemn the government corruption and discrimination and they do not want to win in 2011, they just want to be the main opposition. So the party hatched this scheme to campaign through lies and tell them over and over again hoping the public will believe and vote for the party. I have news for you, Emile, not so fast.
Sonia Clark

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