The circus is in town; it was always in town

Sep 28, 2018 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

This country is one big circus and per capita, we have more clowns in power than any other country in the world. Circo Suarez, today, will unfold at “D’Urban Park. Whoever made the decision to put the circus at D’Urban Park is a genius. There could not have been a more appropriate location. The site itself symbolizes the clownish manifestations of power since May 2015.
Why with the Providence Stadium, the huge Joe Vieira Park and the National Park, the APNU+AFC chose to have that the site, which is estimated to have cost over a billion dollars is a billion dollar question. To date, only Public Infrastructure Minister, David Paterson, has offered a reason for the construction of D’Urban Park.
At the time when the structure was going up (some say it is a white elephant that is why it was chosen to host Circo Suarez), Patterson said the other sites did not have the capacity to accommodate the expected attendance of the 50th anniversary of Independence.
If you follow the logic of Patterson then if Shahrukh Khan, Priyana Chopra, Rihanna, Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan and others accompany Barack Obama and his wife to Guyana to deliver a speech and the crowds are expected to be fifty thousand, we will build another structure to accommodate them.
The clownish acts of politics are ubiquitous in this land. I am going this evening to Circo Suarez because on opening night, the other clowns that we are accustomed to in Guyana will be there. I want to see their countenance as their fellow clowns come on stage.
The latest performance was done earlier this week by the AFC and the WPA. The AFC said it contacted the WPA to coordinate efforts toward the project of oil cash to poor Guyanese. The reason was that the suggestion came from Clive Thomas of the WPA. Everything about this latest AFC move is clownish.
First, Former Minister, Dr. Henry Jeffrey, quoted from one of his columns a year ago to show that he was the first Guyanese that suggested the cash transfer formula. For journalistic, political and historical accuracy, we need to acknowledge the idea of Dr. Jeffrey when we are referring to the suggestion.
Secondly, AFC leader, Trotman has a lot of explaining to do. One evening over fish and plantain chips, and beers (I don’t drink, I only eat), at Demerara Cricket Club, a group of well placed AFC personnel told me the AFC leadership was not consulted over the transfer of the energy sector from the Ministry of Natural Resources by Minister Trotman to an independent energy department to be housed within the Ministry of the Presidency.
They added that some big wigs are disappointed with Trotman because it was an AFC portfolio that he transferred and he should have consulted with the AFC leadership. The voices over the table were dumbfounded by what Trotman did.
Also Dr. Vincent Adams, former energy expert with the Obama administration, told this columnist that he was approached to head the department and he agreed. We now know Adams didn’t get the appointment. We also know that the appointment was the decision of the President alone.
Thirdly, why would the AFC coordinate with the WPA and not the TUC whose head, Lincoln Lewis, is in support of the cash transfer formula? The AFC needs to tell us who or what is the WPA? Can you compare the people on the ground in Guyana who interact on a daily basis with the TUC with the WPA?
The WPA is a fictional construct. It does not exist. Its leadership comprised six persons, now it is five because Desmond Trotman is now a GECOM Commissioner.
The WPA representative in the Cabinet, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, has not uttered even one word in support of the Jeffrey/Thomas blueprint of oil money for the poorer folks. Which part of Guyana the WPA will take its campaign to? Who will be the WPA campaigners?
Drs. Roopnaraine and Thomas are not active on the ground with the WPA, so is Desmond Trotman. Dr. David Hinds is overseas-based; he comes home twice – August and Christmas breaks. Who else is left? Tacuma Ogvunseye. Which Indian village can Ogunseye walk into?
Fourthly, why did the AFC not canvass organizations that have ongoing activities across the territory of Guyana? Obviously, the TUC comes to mind with its union memberships. Why not GAWU and FITUG? Why not certain NGOs that work in the poverty reduction sphere? What about Red Thread and Help and Shelter?
Is there a hidden reason why the AFC wrote to the WPA? Will the AFC perform at Circo Suarez tonight?

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