A Robin’s song

Oct 24, 2019 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,

I was taken aback by a letter,” The ultimate confidence- trick” written by Robin Singh in KN October 17th. This letter by Robin mirrors the ideology of the PPP – entitlement should only be claimed by those who struggle in the past. It reminds me of the “caste” system in India where, if you were born to a family of cleaners you are condemn to be a cleaner – no room for elevation. I could vividly recall the likes of Rohee inflaming me by remarks like, “Where were all these people when we were struggling to build this Country” – in reference to third party politicians. This is cheap politics – probably penny per pound- perpetrated by the PPP.
Speaking of the present Constitutional crisis created by Granger in his refusal to comply with the successful passage of the NCM. Robin wrote, “Believers in Justice and Democracy made their voices heard; they organized protests; they wrote strongly worded letters of condemnation to the press”. Blah! Blah! Blah! “Where were the ‘third’ forces then.” Robin is essentially chanting the same old cheap PPP mantra.
Robin wrote, “The PPP did the heavy lifting” in “making their mark with symbolic weekly protests.” Then he asked “What do the newly ‘entitled’ class stand for or against? Suggesting that the new budding politicians entering the political race now, did nothing and should therefore not be entitled to the people’s votes. In fairness, the onus has to be on the PPP to do the heavy lifting. For 23 years the PPP sat and enjoyed a constitution that gives the president unlimited prerogative without thinking of reforming it. They never envision themselves on the outside looking in. Now caught in the snare they propagated, it is only judicious that they do the “heavy lifting”.
When Robin speak of track record! Failure to attempt to reform a constitution written for a tyrant for 23 years is the result of the tyrannical rule that now faces us. That should be on the track record of the PPP. Robin wrote, “What we never hear from the ‘third’ parties are the track records of the new ‘leaders’ and their ability to deliver on lofty goals contained in their glossy manifestos.” What nonsense is this? How does one create a track record or deliver on “glossy manifestos” if they are not given a mandate from the electorate to do so? On the subject of “track record”, Robin should be aware that the last PPP presidential candidate was never handed a ministerial portfolio to prove his ability before becoming president. Prior to being president. As a member of GuySuCo board, he was pictured sleeping at a board meeting, whilst the fortunes of that corporation was drifting south. As president he forgot to sign the lease for the land that housed the archeology treasure trove of the PPP founder leader (Red House) . I don’t think the Robin understand the lyrics of the song he is trying to sing for the PPP in his missive. Robin wrote, “third’ parties because they never actually want to win a plurality of the votes, they aim to be brokers of powers, to use 5000 votes to control parties that garner 500,000.” Who enters a contest without wanting to win? Due to the cultism stranglehold on their supporters by the two major parties. The “ultimate confidence trick” sung by Robin to the electorate to justify that third party leaders must struggle to be entitled, is a worn out PPP trick that had fueled the cultists support for PPP in the past.
Third party politicians know how difficult it is to break this cycle. So what is wrong about “political convenience” – aiming to “be brokers of powers, to use 5000 votes to control parties that garner 500000”? Robin’s words! Given our present Constitutional dispensation, I am inclined to think that several “brokers of powers” can offer the people better Governance. Governments that are neglectful of the people could quickly become victims of successful NCM – a deterrent to abuse of power. Despite Charrandass’ bravado, the AFC was a bitter disappointment.
Robin opined that all leaders of the new parties should be inspected and interrogated with the same vigor “as with the big two” not because ‘politics is a dirty game’ but precisely to protect politics from becoming a game for the dirty. We are already in the realm of “game for the dirty”. Robin only needs to look back at the method the central committee of his party used to promulgate Irfaan Ali as it’s presidential candidate, without bias. Or perhaps Robin would like to add a little “caste” by suggesting that what the Central Committee does should not concern the people because they are entitled. The end game for Ali’s selection is so tarnished in “game for the dirty”, it exposed the reason why budding politicians are not prepared to go through all that trash that Robin spoke about their fear of competing with 500 young professionals for a junior position. Some would never venture out of their dirty political pit!
Robin’s last shameless verse!
“All are welcome but they must come with clean hands”. I would hope that he meant literally and not figuratively.

Rudolph Singh

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