Granger did not nullify no confidence vote

Nov 17, 2019 Letters

Dear Editor,

For someone capable of doing a smarter analysis, Dr. Vishnu Bisram’s article, “Granger nullified no confidence vote (NCV),” in your November 15 edition, is utter nonsense. Bisram said Granger is politically savvy; Guyanese feel the Coalition won the December 21 no confidence motion; the opposition has been outfoxed, outwitted, and outsmarted every step of the way; President Granger and his government played their card as a winner; they had effective, shrewd advisors that nullified the effects of the NCM; the coalition lost the battle but won the war; the NCM did not remove it from office and it continues to function as a normal government; the govt has not been defeated.”
Long before the NCV, the PPP had demolished the PNC by beating them by 25,000 and 45,000 votes in 2016 and 2018 Local Government Elections. The PPP/Jagdeo strategy brought back into the PPP’s fold those who strayed and voted PNC in 2015. Then the PPP won the NCV that left the PNC in turmoil and stunned beyond their wildest imagination (remember them hollering, “No Charrandass, no!”). It made them so stupid that after they initially accepted their defeat and promised to follow the Constitution, they started arguing with much zeal their “math” that 33 was not a majority in a 65-member Parliament, although that’s how they got into government and passed bills for four years. Granger started to give his own interpretations of the Constitution and dubbed the CJ’s ruling as her own “interpretations.” Does Bisram think this makes the PNC smarter and Guyanese think they are a “winner?” This made them a bunch of clowns and a laughing stock of CARICOM and the world.
What the NCV showed is that the Coalition should never ever be trusted again, and allowed to get into power, as it would not keep its pre-election promises, or follow the Constitution.
In its barely legal second stint (they won by one vote in Region 8 and no recount was held; and the PPP’s election petition was never heard), the Constitutional language is that the government was “defeated” and “Cabinet shall resign.”
That the Coalition refused to give up and call elections within 90 days, and continues as if it is not illegal, is not that Granger/PNC is smarter than the PPP, it is that the PNC has always been and will always be bullies.
Their own AFC MP voted against them, the Speaker ruled against them (asking “What kind of thing is that,” when Volda asked for a timeout) , the Chief Justice ruled against them, the CCJ ruled against them; the International community, Bar Association, churches and civic society condemned them for their shenanigans and delaying tactics in refusing to name a GECOM Chair and date for new elections. Now, Granger is still to dissolve Parliament. Before the CCJ ruling, the PNC said the Cabinet had resigned and they were now a “plenary.” After the CCJ ruled against them, they now still call themselves a “cabinet,” although the Constitution says they are defeated, and the cabinet shall resign.
That the Coalition is still in power shows the maturity of the PPP in restraining themselves, putting the national interest first, and not engaging in ongoing agitation to remove them from office. The PPP has patience knowing the Coalition will be solidly defeated as all the indicators show.

So Bisram’s letter is a bunch of bull.
Sincerely,
Jerry Singh

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