The WPA as a party has to officially respond

Sep 24, 2016 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

This columnist has been reliably informed by two persons who sit in the WPA leadership that the WPA’s representative in the Cabinet, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine has informed the WPA executive that he cannot explain Cabinet discussions with the WPA. I am pellucid with my words here – these two persons are in the leadership of the WPA. They told me they were present at the official executive meeting when Dr. Roopnaraine gave that definitiveness.
In a letter in this newspaper, Tacuma Ogunseye explained that Roopnaraine said that he cannot report to the WPA because Cabinet matters can get into the public domain. Ogunseye in another newspaper letter demanded to know how the WPA’s representative stood when Cabinet voted to offer ten percent increase to the lowest paid public servants. All this means is that the WPA as a party has a disconnect with Cabinet affairs.
I went to the AFC office the other day and several persons commented on my analysis of the death of the WPA. I had to explain that my assessment of the WPA has absolutely nothing to do with my friendship with Dr. David Hinds, since I was asked, “Freddie how you can do David that?” I wrote on the WPA, not on David Hinds. David is quite active in other organizations and is known nationally for his active leadership in Cuffy 250.
Imran Khan asked me why I thought Roopnaraine took the position of not reporting to the WPA. I gave two answers. One is that at a Freudian level, as the WPA’s representative in Cabinet, he feels that there isn’t much of a party to report to each week. Secondly, Roopnaraine may feel that he is of strong standing nationally as an icon, to represent Cabinet by himself and not as the WPA’s representative.
Whatever explanation you offer, the Roopnaraine Cabinet issue is unheard of in coalition governments anywhere in the world. If Roopnaraine has a problem with information that he imparts to the WPA getting out, then life is like that. The powerful US Government suffers from leaks on a daily basis.
Most people who read world news will know about that. Many of us in the media knew what took place in the Jagdeo Cabinet. Is Roopnaraine telling us that PNC and AFC leaders do not discuss their party’s positions in Cabinet? I don’t know about the PNC but I know party leaders in the AFC make demands on their Cabinet members to report to the party.
Roopnaraine may not believe that the raison d’etre for him being in the Cabinet is the WPA. I am not too sure his position is implausible; after all he is a nationally known activist for over forty-five years who can stand on his own. It is for the WPA to tell the nation if Roopnaraine should liaise with his party. But will we get an official statement from that party at a press conference? Or should we expect the usual?
And what is the usual? Tacuma in a newspaper letter responding to this column and he will say, I speak in my individual capacity. And David writing a letter too and careful to state this is the way he, David Hinds, feels and not the WPA.
So where is the WPA? It is not Freddie Kissoon who first went public with the information that WPA’s Cabinet representative said that as a matter of policy he cannot report to the WPA on Cabinet decisions. It was one of the leaders in the WPA – Tacuma Ogunseye. So I will not expect a letter saying Kissoon is up to mischief.
In this country no matter how factual you are, once someone doesn’t like what you have written about them, their relatives, organization or government you are either up to mischief, a madman, publicity-seeker, fronting for someone or have an agenda. I recall a young man took a swipe at me in this very newspaper for saying that his father was murdered. I replied and quoted a letter from his own sister, printed in this very newspaper, stating that her father was tortured and murdered. This is what Guyana is like.
There will be more analyses from me on the WPA; how it evolved, its role in Guyana’s politics, its contributions to freedom, justice and rights. This was once a glorious party whose legacy is indelibly emblazoned on the face of this nation. But as an analyst and from where I stand, I do not see a living WPA. I hope I am wrong.

Latest News

The WPA as a party has to officially respond

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 27th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

GSL 2025 to take place in July

Ken Harvey dominates GBA’s Pepsi/Michael...

Goal is Money survive scare on Opening Night of...

GFF President congratulates Junior Lady Jags

Former Windies captains remember...

Olympic Kremlin crowned Horse-of-the-Year at One...

Features/Columnists

The PPP/C’s greatest liability

OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus

Guyana: violence increasingly seen as solution

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

The WPA as a party has to officially respond

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 27th, 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 […]