The AFC’s no confidence motion

Jul 09, 2014 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

The AFC probably examined the PPP’s performance and that of Mr. Ramotar and concluded that the sooner there is a general election, the worse for the PPP, thus the no-confidence idea. This was, of course, before the Manickchand/Luncheon scandal and Essequibo farmers’ protest.

Are there serious grounds for a no-confidence motion? I repeat what I have written before: I do not believe that the PPP will abide by the over-arching requirement of a successful parliamentary no-confidence vote. The PPP will cite a technical point that implies that the vote violated the constitution.

The PPP leadership will then move to the courts. This will invoke enormous political anger in the opposition that may take militant forms. The ABC countries may get involved, but the PPP will not go to the electorate which is required of them if they lose a no-confidence vote.

They will hope to wait out the storm even though that storm’s nature will be a rough one that the PPP would not have anticipated. My guess is that so annoyed will be the ABC countries at the violation of this sacred political value that there may be considerations of sanctions. Still the PPP will stall rather than prorogue the House and agree to early elections.

Here are the possible reasons for opting for early elections. AFC may have reasoned that the PPP has lost support by the open frustration of the ABC countries with the caricature of democracy in this land. When the US gets vexed with a poor Third World country then the population begins to get worried and may feel that the government has become a liability and would not mind if it loses power.

The era of the socialist aura is over in Guyana. There are no socialist demagogues that can whip up the masses to denounce the United States. Guyana does not have anti-American sentiments and no one in the PPP leadership can get any sizeable group in any part of Guyana to vent anger against the US. All of Guyana wants to go to the US. The US Embassy has recorded a figure of 4,500 legal migrants annually.

In terms of non-immigrant visa applicants, the figure rose from 13,000 in 2011 to 35,000 in 2013. If a general election is held tomorrow the opposition will create serious anxiety in Berbicians, and Indians in general, by pointing to the disappointments the US has with the PPP leadership of Guyana.

It would be a winning electoral strategy. And what would be terribly shocking is that a silly PPP leadership will go on the campaign trail and in response, lash out at the Americans in nasty ways, as Ramotar did recently when the US Ambassador spoke that the lack of local government elections undermines democracy.

Ramotar castigated the US in acidic terms, referring to the Snowden revelations. And now we have the Manickchand and Luncheon infamy. That kind of idiotic electoral strategy belongs to an age long gone.

Secondly, the AFC believes that Ramotar has been a political nightmare for the PPP’s image and that his invisible performance in office will hurt the PPP badly in a general poll. The AFC is right in this thinking. Mr. Ramotar is definitely not presidential material. Character-wise, he is a better human than Bharrat Jagdeo but Mr. Ramotar definitely does not possess even a modicum of presidential qualities. No young Indian will be impressed with Mr. Ramotar’s defence of his three years in office.

Thirdly, this is a spin-off of number two. The AFC knows that a snap election will cause the PPP to implode. There is serious infighting inside the PPP and it centres on Mr. Ramotar. There are young leaders in the PPP who believe that with each passing day, Mr. Ramotar lessens the PPP’s chances of winning a parliamentary majority.

If the PPP is required by the constitution to hold general elections after a vote of no-confidence, then all hell will break loose. Interestingly, if in such an event, Ramotar refuses to call the poll, the young hopefuls may very well want a general election, because in their thinking the PPP will not go with Ramotar.

Finally, the AFC is convinced that the PPP will lose at the next poll and may not want to wait until the last quarter of 2016. The most compelling argument for an early contest is that the PPP is in a stage of dormancy and is almost immobilized in terms of ideas, strategy and dynamism. Nothing new has been pursued since Mr. Ramotar became president.

If elections are called tomorrow, the PPP has nothing to show for Mr. Ramotar’s three years.

Latest News

The AFC’s no confidence motion

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 13th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Ramnath sets tone for WI ahead of opener

Seales dominates but Shakeel, Rizwan lead...

Youngsters impress as final day draws near

BCB/Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi U15 Inter Club...

Windies captain Brathwaite stresses bravery,...

In-form Savory dazzles on second day with classy...

Features/Columnists

Burnham must be having a good laugh

Clarifying misconceptions about the Panama Canal

Exim 4% rate

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

The AFC’s no confidence motion

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 13th, 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 […]