The PPP regime was and the Coalition Govt. is politically tone deaf

Nov 21, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor;
Tone deaf! Politically tone deaf! Nationalistically tone deaf! Patriotically tone deaf! That is how the United Republican Party (URP) wishes to describe both the PPP and the PNC-Coalition. They would have to be tone deaf to the wailing cries of the Guyanese people in order for them to govern the way they do. They practice policies that have retarded this country for 50 years. How can the Granger administration set up the Cabinet in the Camp Ayangana compound and not expect the Opposition and the supporters of the current administration to say that they are a military government?
President Granger looked under every nook and cranny to find every aged, retired, military buddy of his, to do his bidding – commission of enquiries, state boards, consultancies, security etc. And after he placed his name (or allowed it to be placed) on all his pictures in the public domain as, ‘Brigadier David Granger’ (he is NOT the Brigadier any more), he has now moved his Cabinet to the headquarters of the Army. And he does not expect anyone to question his judgment. It just proves that both Mr. Granger and his advisors must be nationalistically and politically tone deaf.
President Burnham did the same sorts of things. He (Burnham) used the security forces for repressive purposes. The Army was also involved in a conspiracy to kill Walter Rodney. The accused killer, Gregory Smith was flown out of the country as the Rodney Commission was told. One would have thought that as an astute historian, President Granger would have strayed and stayed far away from all the nonsensical reflections of a vicious, autocratic, Burnhamite era. One would have thought that after partnering with the AFC and their mostly PPP (Indian) supporters, commonsense would have pointed them away from any opportunity for the Jagdeo clan to develop “red-meat”. You would have thought that Granger – if only because he seemed so magnanimous at first – would have been willing to shun such buffoonery. One would have thought that winning by such a slight margin, the Coalition would have sought ways to garner additional supporters. But no!
Doesn’t President Granger know that the word on the street is that his is an old, militarized, administrator? Ask the likes of James Bond, or Lincoln Lewis or Sharma Solomon – all supporters of the Coalition – and they would tell you. But maybe the Administration is indeed too tone deaf to hear. Now, on top of that, the Administration is pushing a bill through Parliament to give Hamilton Green more money. These SAME people, who just fought the PSU and the GTU over salary increase, increases which they promised the young working class while they were in the political wilderness (opposition). Now the Granger administration is pushing to give the 81 year-old Hammie, more money. If this is not nationalistic and political tone deafness, then, what is? Of course they have to do this for Hammie because when they gave themselves that big multi-thousand dollars, retroactive salary increase, Hammie did not get his.
Guyanese have been groomed by the two major political parties to think that they do not have options. The AFC came along and got some tacit support from the electorate. However, they have now joined and morphed into the PNC and the Guyanese people are the worst off for it. The United Republican Party is confident that if Guyana will ever move forward in any significant and meaningful way, the totalitarian powers of these two parties have to be reduced. For the sake of our country and for the betterment of our children and grandchildren, we have to ensure that we do what it takes to never again allow any party to win majority control of the government.
The country has stagnated and when it is moving, it is moving in the wrong direction. Both the PPP and the Coalition are completely tone deaf to the needs of the citizens and particularly the working class of this country. It is time we begin to speak with one voice. Maybe then they will hear us. The URP stands ready to help.
Dr. Vishnu Bandhu

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