We have fallen

Jul 26, 2020 Features / Columnists, News, The Story within the Story

The Story Within The Story…

By Leonard Gildarie

A few days ago, I saw something that shook me. It is the truth. But to even be having such conversations, the perversion is evident.
Somebody wrote that it is the folks from Queen’s College who are to be blamed for the state of Guyana. First, it was Forbes Burnham, then Cheddi Jagan and now David Granger.
We have thousands of former Queen’s College students in Guyana who have made their mark in Guyana positively.
I can point out several including lawyers and former government ministers who stood tall. We can point to engineers and bank employees, and yes, even media personnel.
But it was one of the many shameful side plots that have emerged in this last four months.
Shift the narratives, blame somebody.
As I write now, the Court of Appeal is hearing yet another case coming from the March 2nd unresolved elections.
We are not sure who is funding the court cases to pay lawyers. It will cost in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The authorities will have to make clear and assure the people of this country that we are not being saddled with the bills. I don’t want to use the word perversion, but surely any court case by private citizens will have to be borne by the applicants.
In addition to Queen’s College coming out as collateral damage, almost everybody else not agreeing that the Coalition lost have come under attack.
We could not have sunk any lower this week when an anonymous attack, shared on social media, was launched at CARICOM, specifically at the Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, and chairman, Ralph Gonsalves.
As I speak, two petitions are circulating to remove Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George and Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. Unbelievable, is it not?
The Western countries, and their representatives, have also been on the receiving end of accusations, some honing in on sexual preferences.
Independent media houses and of course the GECOM chair, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, were not spared.
The narratives from March 2nd have been rapidly shifting day in and day out.
From fraudulent figures that had no basis, to walkouts by diplomats from the Ashmin’s building, the stories would paint a picture of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic finding billions of dollars to pay off media houses, diplomats, the CARICOM, the US, Canada, Britain and the European Union and now India.
Brazil and more than 20 countries of the OAS were clear, move on…make a declaration on the recount.
The language was not flattering. It was hard to listen to Venezuela lecturing us at the recent public meeting of the OAS’ Permanent Council.
We should never have been placed in such a position.
It is impossible to think that we would invite foreign observers and when they speak, we accuse them of being one-sided.
The Court of Appeal will be ruling very shortly.
GECOM will have yet another opportunity to do the right thing, the correct thing.
We cannot as a country remain in this limbo for too long. The gains we have made are quickly being erased.
Perhaps the biggest hurt is the continued wedge being driven between our people.
THE HURT AND FRUSTRATION FROM THE POLITICAL SITUATION, COUPLED WITH THE COVID-19 FALLOUTS, HAVE LEFT OUR PEOPLE LIKE A HEADLESS CHICKEN.
BRAZIL, AS WE SPEAK, OUR NEIGHBOUR, HAS REPORTEDLY RECORDED MORE THAN 60,000 CASES OVERNIGHT WITH MORE THAN 1,000 DEATHS FROM COVID-19.
THE RUPUNUNI AREAS REMAIN IN LOCKDOWN AND FOOD SHORTAGES HAVE LED TO A DESPERATE SITUATION FOR REGION NINE, OUR BIGGEST ADMINISTRATIVE AREA IN TERMS OF GEOGRAPHY.
WHY ANY RIGHT-THINKING, RESPONSIBLE LEADER WOULD WANT SUCH A SITUATION TO CONTINUE IS BEYOND EXPLANATION.
THE IMPASSE HAS DRAWN SHARP CRITIQUES FROM MEDIA HOUSES WITH THE COALITION BECOMING MORE AND MORE A SOLITARY SILHOUETTE.
I HAVE SAID IT BEFORE AND WILL REPEAT.
THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE ONE OF THE TOUGHEST EVER JOBS.
THE PRESIDENT WILL HAVE TO LEAD A PEOPLE WHO EXPECT MORE FROM OUR OIL AND GAS.
THE PRESIDENT WILL HAVE TO HEAL THE DEEP ETHNIC FEELINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN FUELLED BY A FEW.
HE WILL HAVE TO REBALANCE AN ECONOMY THAT IS ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE.
FROM SOCIAL PROGRAMMES, TO ECONOMIC SUBSIDIES, THE INTERVENTIONS WILL HAVE TO BE BOLD AND AMBITIOUS.
LET US BE CLEAR, THE ETHNIC INSECURITIES HAVE BEEN FANNED BY A FEW WHO HAVE LITTLE IDEAS OF THE DAMAGE THEY HAVE DONE, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF GUYANA.
I AM LOSING FRIENDS FAST BECAUSE THEY ARE FORCED TO FOLLOW FAMILY WHO BACK A POLITICAL ENTITY AND SINGING A SONG WHICH HAS BEEN A FAMILY OF ONE.
IT BREAKS MY HEART.
CAN WE OVERCOME?
PRESIDENT GRANGER WILL HAVE TO DIG DEEP WITHIN AND BE THE MAN THAT MANY BELIEVED HIM TO BE WHEN HE ENTERED OFFICE IN 2015. A FAMILY MAN WHO STOOD BY HIS WORD. A LEADER WHO WANTED A COUNTRY THAT IS RICH IN ITS HISTORY.
WE HAVE, AS A PEOPLE, STARTED TO HAVE A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF OUR WORTH.
LEADERS WILL HAVE TO DELIVER.
MORE THAN 40 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY THREW THEIR SUPPORT, ACCORDING TO THE VOTES, BEHIND THE COALITION. THAT HAS TO COUNT FOR SOMETHING.
THE BATTLE WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST. BUT 2025 IS COMING UP.
THE PEOPLE WILL BE WATCHING. THEY WILL WANT RESULTS.
A STRONG OPPOSITION WILL HAVE TO PLAY ITS ROLE AND BE WATCHFUL.
WE DEMAND THE OPPOSITION PLAY ITS ROLE.
IT IS DANGEROUS TO CONTEMPLATE THAT A GOVERNMENT WILL BE THERE WHICH BELIEVE THAT IT CAN DO WHAT IT LIKES.
THE OPPOSITION WILL BE OUR EARS AND EYES.
THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT PRESIDENT GRANGER.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)