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Attempting to resist an unstoppable phenomenon
DEAR EDITOR,
For those who are acquainted, and those who are not with our country’s electoral history they should by now recognize, as the time draws near for the electorate to decide who will govern the country for the next five years, that political tensions tend to surface.
But the circumstances are never the same, each situation throws up its own specific challenges.
As we approach elections within the meaning of article 106 of Guyana’s Constitution, the situation this time around is fundamentally different.
Triggered by the passage of the no confidence motion (NCM) in the National Assembly, the electoral process has been thrown into a tailspin.
Given the lingering fears, real or perceived, a significant section of the voting population holds the view that plans were being hatched by the APNU+ AFC to remain in office beyond 2020. However, passage of the NCM and its validation by the court, must have sent the governing coalition darting helter-skelter, and back to the drawing board to revisit whatever electoral master plan they may have had in mind prior to December 21, 2018 in readiness for an elections in 2020.
It would not be unreasonable to assume therefore that the shenanigans we are currently witnessing are part and parcel of a revised or improvised APNU+AFC master plan, which calls for more time to gear themselves up so that they can shore up their electoral fortunes.
Having regard to the depressing and oppressive economic, social and political conditions obtaining in the country, it is clear that, cumulatively, these conditions present gloomy forecasts for the ruling coalition’s vote-getting strategy.
Many find it amazing that in just four years the ruling coalition has stumbled and fell irreparably in a sea of corruption and malfeasance. And, just as they clamored for change in 2015 in the same way, the clamour for change has swung a full circle, and resonates irrepressibly throughout the country.
Notwithstanding, its Sisyphean efforts, the ruling coalition must have recognized that to hold back the rising tide for a change in government is like resisting an unstoppable phenomenon.
The big question therefore is what can they do to save themselves from drowning as they clutch to a handful of straws?
Addressing a North American conference of the PNCR held in Georgia, USA in early November 2017, Mr. Granger said, “A big question for members is how the party will retain office after 2020 when elections are to be held.”
Mr. Granger urged his comrades to recall the party’s struggle for power in the 1960’s and the maintenance of political power up to 1992.
“You have to ask yourself how the PNC gained office in 1964; ask how did the PNC remain in office and what did it do during that year? Ask yourself how the PNC regained office in 2015; and ask yourself how the PNC would retain office after 2020.”
At that time, neither Mr. Granger nor his kitchen cabinet had anticipated passage of a NCM, which effectively brought about an abrupt end to his administration and, as a consequence, a dramatic change in Guyana’s elections schedule and by implication, the ruling coalition’s own.
David Hinds was among the first to comment on Granger’s remarks at the Atlanta get-together which he classified as ‘some Burnhamite red meat thrown at the party faithful ‘
According to Hinds, ‘Unlike other commentators, I am very clear that President Granger’s comments in Atlanta are a tacit acceptance that the PNC never fairly won on its own. What can be concluded from that acceptance, of course, is open to debate.’
The public must now join actively in that debate and, based on the PNC’s elections track record, decide whether elections will be free and fair with the APNU+AFC in office.
Further, Guyanese must decide whether the platitudes expressed from time to time by Mr. Granger himself in respect to constitutional democracy and upholding the rule of law are believable in today’s context.
In so doing, Guyanese should reflect on the APNU+AFC’s efforts to continue their exercise of power over the people of Guyana, irrespective of the consequences of their actions, and the ruling Coalition should realize that they may very well lose it over themselves.
Yours faithfully,
Clement J. Rohee
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