Are Guyanese destined to repeat the past?

Sep 05, 2013 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

I had a lengthy chat with one of the leading APNU figures after the funeral service last Monday for the father of Kaieteur News senior editor, Nigel McKenzie. Two aspects of his talk need highlighting. First he said that as far as he can tell, APNU will not accept indefinitely the PPP Government just flouting the decisions of Parliament.
Asked what APNU will do, he confessed that he did not know but he felt that such a sordid situation just cannot go on.
Secondly, he said that it was his considered opinion that the PPP Government will not change its governance style. It will continue to bully state institutions and continue dominate the Guyanese society in ways that will not find acceptance in the country. Asked again, what APNU will do, he said he cannot answer since an APNU position of that situation has not been formally discussed
The obvious question is what is going to happen if the PPP continues like that. Can anyone answer it? Something is just not right inside the Government. There seems to be no cessation in the authoritarian excesses.
Take the University. So much has been written on the terrible state it is in that you would think it can only go upwards. First there is a parliamentary select committee that is currently looking at the entire future of the University. Then there is the Hamilton Report that proposed a restructuring of its governance structure.
But protest clouds seem to be gathering at UG with the Council changing the statutes of the University to give the Vice-Chancellor the authority to select the Deans, Assistant Deans and Heads of Departments. At most, if not all universities including UG, these positions are elected ones. The unions complained that the notice to change the statutes was submitted just two days before the statutory meeting of the Council. The unions say they will not accept it because it is less democratic.
Then there is the PPP’s attitude to the local government Bills. One would have thought that since the Bills had parliamentary consensus by now they would have had the stamp of presidential approval. They are still not signed and maybe this one will be the straw that broke the camel’s back, meaning that both the AFC and APNU cannot continue in politics and save their credibility if the months go on and the Bills are not assented to.
The Local Government Bills, by necessity, will pit the combined opposition against the Government.
On the PPP side, local government elections will be a disaster. If and when it had just got into Government and there was still national goodwill for Dr. Jagan and his PPP, the PPP lost Georgetown badly when municipal elections were held, it is certain to be a landslide victory for the opposition in many municipalities and regions.
Losing the local government elections cannot be anything but a disaster for the PPP because it will further weaken its minority status. What is nightmarish for the PPP if those victories for the opposition happen in 2014, is that they would have come at a time when there are just two more years before general elections are due. The PPP will not have full access to many of those NDCs that they now dominate.
On the other hand, the opposition is dying to have the local government contest because not only will it help to reinvigorate what is generally perceived by the population to be a weak opposition, but it will give them greater access to people at the grass root levels just two years before a national election is due.
Thirdly, the mistreatment of the North Timehri citizens is another manifestation of the PPP’s madness. It is insulting language to refer to them as squatters. I have visited the place several times since the eviction notice surfaced. These are people who have built modern houses that look like any area in upper working class Georgetown.
The State just cannot demolish these houses and in exchange hand these people a piece of paper and tell them it is title for ownership of land in Soesdyke. How can the State destroy a modern house with modern amenities and their owners to accept such immense deprivations?
We can go on to cite more examples of increasing State tyranny but the question remains why isn’t there a cessation? What is the PPP hoping to achieve by this daily show of autocratic force? The analyst has to offer an explanation.
The answer will be the subject of another column but briefly, I believe the PPP is strategizing on a confrontation plan which they feel will pay electoral dividends.

Latest News

Are Guyanese destined to repeat the past?

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | February, 3rd, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

EBDCA/D&R Construction 40-Over Cricket Competition continues

GFF announces final squad for Concacaf U-17...

Cricket West Indies announces exciting 2025...

BCA, GCB to attend CWI meeting on February 9

Bolstered Harpy Eagles eyeing perfect home record...

Hockey PAHF Junior Challenge schedule released

Features/Columnists

What Guyanese leaders can learn from Donald Trump

OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus

VP Jagdeo on PPP comrades benefitting

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Are Guyanese destined to repeat the past?

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | February, 3rd, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]