From the Diaspora...WILL THE PPP CALL NEW ELECTIONS?

From the Diaspora…WILL THE PPP CALL NEW ELECTIONS?

Apr 29, 2012 News

By Ralph Seeram
The PNC has demonstrated once again that it cannot handle power; it has shown that it cannot be trusted with power and has made it abundantly clear that it is prepared to put narrow political interest above that of the welfare of the Guyanese people.
Let’s forget about this APNU nonsense. This is the PNC back to its old political self, now guided by old PNC stalwart Carl Greenidge whose tenure as Finance Minister was a complete failure. I am sure that the reasonable voice of David Granger is being pushed aside within the PNC. Granger should know that Greenidge is positioning himself to lead the PNC.
The dramatic reversal of the PNC position on the 2012 Budget is ample proof why former President Bharrat Jagdeo never trusted the PNC. One must remember that it reneged on the agreement on the local government elections with him. President Donald tried to reverse some of Jagdeo’s policies by being a more open Government, and making the opposition inclusive in their discussions, but the PNC has proven the old adage true “a leopard cannot change its spots”
So where does the PPP go from here. The answer lies in the last paragraph of President Ramotar’s statement to the nation on Friday, and I quote “I want to assure all Guyana that the steps and decisions my Government takes in the coming period will be guided by the national interest and commitment to the well-being to the people of this country. I am confident that we will overcome the present setback”. I read the paragraph one, twice and a third time to decipher the meaning of the key words in the paragraph, “steps and decisions my Government takes in the coming period” seemed to suggest to me that a decision has already been made.
He ended by saying “I am confident that we will overcome this setback”. How will be PPP Government overcome the setback? By controlling Parliament once again. The PPP is confident that it can regain parliamentary majority in a new election.
At the PPP press conference at Freedom House Minister of Housing and Water speaking on new elections reminded the press that the President discussed the issue early in budget discussions and “he has the ability and the power resides in him to call that election. The President made it clear that is an option he reserves”
After stating that the opposition is INTRANSIENT the President gave another clue that he might call new elections, when he states, “I have inestimable faith in the people of this country and their ability to overcome the challenges presented by the developments of the past few days”
One will ask how the people can overcome the challenges. The only way the Guyanese people can be involved is with new elections which the President is confident that the PPP will win. That is the only way the people can “overcome the challenge”
Last week after praising David Granger for the cooperation in passing some estimates in the budget I also mentioned that the PPP has nothing to lose in a new election. The PPP will almost certainly win the Presidency again. However it stands to gain the one seat majority. The Opposition has nothing to gain in a new election, but it stands to lose its new found power, power which it has demonstrated it cannot handle in a constructive manner but rather with vindictiveness and recklessness.
How else can you describe their actions, when they cut nearly a third of capital expenditures in the 2012 Budget?
This was an absolute abuse of the majority of one seat in the House. How else would you describe it when the PNC and the AFC cut the entire GUY$18.5B from the LCDS projects? Reducing CANU to $1; State Planning Secretariat to $1; The ERC $1 also cutting the subsidies to GINA, GECOM (to prevent funding for a snap election) NCN and most troubling, the subsidy to Guyana Power & Light Inc.
In their abuse of power and vindictiveness did the opposition consider the plight of the thousands of workers and their families that will be directly affected by their selfish actions? Khemraj Ramjattan and Moses Nagamootoo have demonstrated how far they will carry old grudges, putting their hatred for their old party above interest of the Guyanese people.
Yes in my view, elections are coming and the Guyanese people will be given another opportunity to demonstrate who they can entrust with power, who can make judicious use of power in their interest. They will be given an opportunity to rectify their error in the last elections.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News