Why would the WPA want to save a govt. that doesn’t want to be saved?

Oct 13, 2016 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

I found it funny the replies of Dr. David Hinds and Tacuma Ogunseye to my column as to the demise of the WPA. I asked where was the voice of the WPA which was in fact part of the Government. In their responses, both gentlemen explained that the WPA was restrained in its criticism of the mistakes of the Coalition because it didn’t want to weaken the government seeing that the PPP would capitaliase on such a situation.
This has to be a funny response. Why would the WPA arrogate to itself the right to save the Coalition when the very Coalition continues to make unnecessary mistakes every day that strengthens the PPP propaganda arsenal against it? In other words, if the Coalition doesn’t want to be saved why would the WPA want to be the protector when the very WPA is a tiny formation in the overall scheme of things and the very WPA may not be a living entity?
We have yet another stumble by a government that is quickly losing its way. It would be interesting to hear if the remnants of the WPA still think it has to stay quiet because the PPP is at the gates. The Government bought out DDL shares in the Berbice bridge company and never thought that it was the transparent thing to do to inform the nation. But it is not only the silence over the purchase that is disquieting but the buyer. The buyer is no other than NICIL. This brings into sharp focus the continued existence of NICIL.
Let us rewind the tape and show David Hinds and Tacuma Ogunseye what a leper NICIL was in the eyes of APNU and AFC during the reign of President Jagdeo. The essential assault on NICIL by the opposition during the tenure of Jagdeo and Ramotar took two forms; one was that it was a mini-government. NICIL had money and power that were not open to scrutiny. This money and power were used to transact business and facilitate investments that should have been directly done by mainstream governmental structures.
The second dislike the APNU-AFC opposition had for NICIL was that it was the recipient of public monies that should have gone straight into the Consolidated Fund. When the APNU-AFC came to power, it embarked on a number of forensic audits one of which was NICIL. The question that logically must be answered by the Coalition is what are the reasons – pragmatic and theoretical – for retaining NICIL? Now the question is not why you haven’t abolished it. It is still alive therefore the nation will expect an explanation and it should come from the President, the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister or the Chairman of NICIL.
Now here is where the story gets intriguing and mysterious. The Chairmanship of NICIL was given to the WPA. Its head is Dr. Maurice Odle who sits in the WPA Executive with David Hinds and Tacuma Ogunseye. NICIL bought out DDL shares in the Berbice bridge company and chose not to inform the Guyanese people.
We only know about this arrangement involving public funds from the Kaieteur News. One wonders if Hinds and Ogunseye would care to comment on Dr. Odle’s decision, first to retain NICIL and secondly to participate in NICIL’s operations that are as secret as when NICIL was in the hands of the PPP Government (media colleagues have told me Dr. Odle is virtually impossible to get hold of – doesn’t sound too Rodneyite.)
Maybe Hinds and Ogunseye will restrain themselves from comments because they would not want the Coalition to look bad because the PPP wolves are at the door. But there is such a big but. But why they care about who is at the door when the big boys and big girls that control the power of the State do not care when they falter and how they falter?
I remember the days when Jagdeo and Ramotar were in power and PPP Ministers were running from the press and the press keep pressing them and exposing them. The PNC, WPA, AFC and other opposition figures would come up to you and say, “Keep it up.” How funny this country is. The very people that told you to keep it up are now in power and they are running from the media. In the meantime, Granger and Nagamootoo are keeping NICIL alive and the PPP and Brassington are jumping for joy. So joyful are the PPP that its feels it will win the 2020 elections. I think even God has given up on Guyana.

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Why would the WPA want to save a govt. that doesn’t want to be saved?

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