A golden opportunity has been presented to the PPP

Feb 23, 2019 Letters

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Dear Editor,

I have always been an opportunist. I believe that opportunities can sometimes present themselves even in chaos and disappointment.
If you’re smart, you’ll know to cease it. Unlike some in the PPP, I abide by my moral values and principles; I am not willing to degrade myself for monetary value or sell my integrity. There is an old saying that while the optimist and the pessimist debate whether the glass is half full or half empty, the opportunist will drink the content. This is exactly what happened to the PPP.
You see Mr. Editor, while the legendary Brain fart on January 19 when Bharrat Jagdeo engineered the selection of the worst possible candidate was in motion, GECOM was drinking the hall-full glass of urgency and election preparation; in other words it was politicking.
With APNU/AFC three commissioners and the unilaterally appointed chairman, the instruction from the government was to delay the election as long as possible. In this vain, they have decided not to honour the constitutionally mandated 90-day election – an assault on our democracy and constitution.
Instead, in blatant disregard for the Chief Justice’s ruling, they have decided to go for house-to-house registration instead of elections.
Anyone vaguely familiar with the GECOM processes will understand that this process can take months, even longer if the intention is to delay elections, which appears to be to case.
Aside from ramping up its defence for the constitution, the PPP has the opportunity to reverse Jagdeo’s hijacking of the Presidential Candidate and return the decision to the PPP supporters – the true decision makers of the party.
Since the selection of Irfaan Ali, the PPP has been bleeding internally as many party stalwarts struggle to reconcile their faith in the party, which has become almost identical to their faith in the current government.
The government’s blatant trampling on the constitution, in all likelihood, would delay national elections, until late 2020 or even early 2021. This renders obsolete Bharat Jagdeo’s central argument not allowing PPP supporters to elect their Presidential Candidate – there is not enough time.
After March 19, this “there is not enough time” becomes more unfounded than it was at the beginning. In other words, the new reality provides an opportunity for the PPP to do the right thing and let its supporters – the same ones they are currently courting for their votes – decide who they want to be their Presidential Candidate.
Of course, I am not naive in my optimism or opportunism, I probably didn’t mention, I am also a pragmatist. The election of a new Presidential Candidate would require a change of heart from Bharrat Jagdeo, who have relegated two-thirds of the central committee to be his whipping boys, or a show of serious strength by PPP supporters reminding Bharrat Jagdeo that they are the ultimate decision makers and his action and manipulating of the central executive to selected his buddy Irfaan Ali – a man riddled with charges of fraud – as Presidential Candidate is not acceptable.
In fact, some PPP supporters have already sound the alarm. On the night of ‘election’ farce, the backlash of social media and other outlets were so severe, Bharrat Jagdeo, had to call an emergency PR meeting to ease what appeared to be never ending, brutal onslaught of Irfaan Ali, Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP altogether.
Several businessmen and PPP MPs, most notably one from Berbice, told Bharrat Jagdeo explicitly that Irfaan Ali selection (not election) angered the strongest of party supporters (including myself).
Bharrat Jagdeo in a very characteristic manner then proceed, in a well-documented, characteristic manner to ‘cuss out’ those speaking the truth.
The very first public event held for Irfaan Ali in Berbice at Tain attracted less than 1,000 supporters. This was after the PPP hired over 40 buses to fetch supporters from Mara to Corriverton, one end of region 6 to the other.
`When Bharrat Jagdeo saw the crowd, out of shame he mumbled ‘this isn’t the start of the campaign, when we start more people will come’.
Mr. Editor, a new candidate will firstly require a new internal election. Then followed by a change of heart from Bharrat Jagdeo or the growing of a pair by many Central Committee Members to take a position of principle and ensure one of the two outstanding candidates available is selected.
Now that I have exhausted my optimism and my pragmatism is reminding me that the probability of this happening remains slim, I am also reminded that throughout our history, Guyanese have achieved remarkable things and we can hold leaders accountable, even those who rain over us for decades; God, I can’t seem to escape my optimism.
The point is, if the PPP was to select a decent Candidate, it will be sure to end the reigns of the current administration’s assault on our constitution and our future. The longer Irfaan Ali remains the Presidential Candidate, the more PPP supporters will stay home.

Vishal Singh
PPP/PYO Member

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