Latest update January 20th, 2025 4:00 AM
The actions of David Granger and the PNC diverge from their words
Dear Editor,
I write this letter conscious that there are many foreign emissaries and younger persons who may not be sufficiently aware of the groundings of PNC party which is the main political party constituting the APNU which forms the coalition APNU-AFC government of Guyana. The PNC operates on one principle “do whatever it takes to get power and do whatever it takes to keep power”. It is the application of this principle which saw the rigging of elections during the 28-year PNC dictatorial rule prior to 1992 in order to maintain their hold on power even at the ultimate cost of the lives of Walter Rodney, Father Darke, Jagan Ramessar and Bholanauth Parmanand (commonly known as the “ballot box martyrs”) and many others.
The flourishing of democratic power has been one of the pillars of a better and more prosperous world for our species and Guyana is no exception. Examine the World Bank data of Guyana’s GDP growth from 1964 when the PNC first took power to 1992 when Guyana had its first free and fair election since independence in 1966 and you will see Guyana’s GDP (a measurement of a country’s annual productive value) moved from US$194m to US$373m which means that over the course of 28 years Guyana’s GDP grew by 92%. On the other hand, Guyana’s GDP moved from US$373m in 1992 to US$3.6B in 2018 which means that over the course of 26 years Guyana’s GDP grew 865%.
The story of Guyana’s Gross National Income per capita over the delineated period evinces more convincingly the importance of democratic rule. Guyana’s GNI per capita moved from US$280 in 1964 to US$390 in 1992 which was a growth of 39% over 28 years while Guyana’s GNI per capita moved from US$390 in 1992 to US$4760 in 2018 which was a growth of 1,120% over 26 years. Those numbers while stark does nothing to elucidate the untold history of suffering of poverty and repression of undemocratic rule.
Everyone knows that actions speak louder than words and the actions of David Granger and the PNC diverge from their words which must be understood as a duplicitous misdirection strategy.
David Granger and the PNC says that its believes in the principles of democracy and the rule of law but their action was to make a unilateral appointment of the Chairman of GECOM in the stealth of night which never occurred in 25 years and both prior to and shortly after many independent legal experts advised that it was a breach of the Constitution as was recently affirmed by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
David Granger and the PNC says that it believes in democracy and the rule of law but their action was to set up a secret bank account outside the national treasury and beyond the reach of parliamentary scrutiny for the US$18m signature bonus paid by ExxonMobil which was in violation of Art 216 of the Constitution.
David Granger and the PNC says that it believes in democracy and the rule of law but refused to accept its defeat in the no confidence vote in parliament arguing all the way to the CCJ that the required majority of 65 is 34 and not 33.
David Granger and the PNC says that it believes in democracy and the rule of law but refuses to request the resignation of the two ministers who they know are dual citizens which the Constitution prohibits.
David Granger and the PNC says that it believes in democracy and the rule of law but refuses to have the Cabinet resign and still holds weekly Cabinet meetings and take Cabinet decisions contrary to the Constitution and the ruling of the CCJ.
David Granger and the PNC says that it believes in democracy and the rule of law but refuses to call an election before the deadline of Sept 18 as the Constitution requires as opposition said on numerous occasions that it would not extend the life of Parliament.
If you want what is best for Guyana and all Guyanese, the economic record shows that Guyana’s democracy and the rule of law must be protected and preserved at all costs.
Sincerely,
Charles S. Ramson
Attorney at Law
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