Harmon has damaged the APNU+AFC Government

Apr 12, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
It is astonishing how hard of hearing, or completely reckless, or plain arrogant or all three members of the political class can be. The unpalatable stories about Mr. Brian Tiwari, PPP government contracts and Guyana’s procurement system under the PPP are known countrywide. When therefore one convinces the supporters of the APNU-AFC Alliance that they should vote to remove the PPP from office because of its corrupt administration of Guyana’s procurement system, and a personality like Brian Tiwari was somewhere near the center of what was going on, it jars one sensibilities that the same APNU-AFC, now in power, could even consider let alone get in bed with Mr. Tiwari as a government adviser. Three things come to mind about this case.
First, it shows Mr. Harmon’s contempt for the APNU-AFC supporters, a trait that persons who come to power seem to have in enormous supply. People in power seem to think that supporters of the government, those who helped to put them in power, are not paying attention to the things they say and do. The supporters are not stupid Mr. Harmon, they care. They have a memory. Second, it seems highly irregular that a Minister within the Office of the President can hire Mr. Tiwari as an “Adviser”, for tasks that apparently fall under the portfolio of another Cabinet Minister. Particularly someone such as Mr. Tiwari without (it seems) consultation and knowledge of the subject Minister, or in this particular case, other Members of the Cabinet and the President. What other possible reasons would the President have to rescind the appointment? In any case it looks bad for the APNU-AFC.
Third, Mr. Harmon has become a key face of the APNU-AFC Administration. Unfortunately, he is responsible for a number of what Freddie Kissoon would describe as “runner stumbles”, and very damaging ones. He seems not to contemplate, for a moment, the political consequences of his utterances and actions for his government and his party, and the way supporters of the APNU-AFC would view them. And if indeed he does contemplate, his words and actions are so contrary that one must ask whether he thinks he can repair whatever damage might be done. The cumulative effect of this sort of contempt and recklessness is precisely why governments get into trouble and are eventually booted from office.
One can never be sure what factors cause each member of the electorate to vote or to stay at home on elections day. However, the conduct of the APNU-AFC Administration during the first twelve months in office was, in a number of instances, most frustrating, uninspiring and sometimes downright depressing. One can hardly restrain oneself from speculating that careless verbal pronouncements, contemptuous actions and reckless conduct of persons like Mr. Harmon (but not only him) is doing grave harm to the APNU-AFC support base and may have discouraged some supporters from voting in the recently held local government elections. Indeed, his words and actions make the administration appear to be rather untrustworthy and certainly awkward, if not unhinged. The APNU-AFC has already shown its inability to overcome its serious and disorganised messaging deficiency. Beyond that it seems bent on creating the most destructive types of political narratives.
Ivor Carry

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