Will Mr. Hughes, Mr. Norton, and company please stand

Oct 05, 2024 Features / Columnists, News, The GHK Lall Column

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Hard Truths by GHK Lall

Kaieteur News – If there is one thing that could be said for PPP practitioners of the political arts, it is that there is always an opportunity that could be leveraged to the party’s, government’s, and leaders’ advantage.  If a dog is hit down while crossing the road, Drs. Ali and Jagdeo find an opening to speak about speeding.  If it is cost-of-living that riles up considerable numbers of Guyanese, they trot out statistics and subsidies.  Then, there are meet-and-greet moments, those press-the flesh flashbulb specials.  And who is always there, sun, snow, sleet, or storm, if not President Ali and the ubiquitous Vice President Jagdeo grinning from ear to ear.  Embracing and whispering sweet nothings in the ear of Guyanese of all complexions.  These guys should be missionaries, except for one thing.  There is no spiritual ministry that would accept either of the two of them.  Sorry.  But sometimes maters must be called as they are.

The standard that applies to the here, there, and everywhere Ali and Jagdeo also have relevance to Messrs. Hughes, Norton, and their extended company of comrades.  Where are they?  Has anybody seen them in the places that matter?  Will Mr. Hughes, Mr. Norton et al please stand up?  There is a storm in Linden, and who is there first, but a reliable foot soldier of Ali and Jagdeo.  In the caravan race to storm-struck Linden, stronghold of the PNC no less, the first boots on the ground are those of the PPP.  There is speculation that if there was association with social media, how much more would have been seen, what else the cascade of writings would cover.  Perhaps, one of these days.  It is either that or a forming a political party.  In Guyanese, goat bite a lot of citizens, but a wide berth was given to this point on the compass.  Pardon the digression, but it makes sense to put that in play, if only to keep people on their toes.

The question is not going away: how could the political opposition be so preoccupied, so slow on the draw, that people who lost track of God, country, and all that Guyana means, beat it to the punch?  Talking about God offers a timely segue.  Ali and/or Jagdeo can be depended upon to be in the mandirs, mosques, and other manmade monuments to honour God.  Good Friday, Good Shepherd Sunday, and that special season of peace and goodwill to all find them with pious presences and solemn faces in the middle of one assembly or another.  It is an extension of the cohesion (not separation) of State and Church that is part of the rackets in Office of the President and Office of the well, er, there is none other.  The VP is not a man listing heavily in the direction of the spirit world, unless it is of the type that operates in darkness, while the Office of the Prime Minister seems more inclined to political sorcery than spiritual substance.  As a quick aside, please pardon the omission of titles for Drs. Ali and Jagdeo.  Be assured that no disrespect is intended.  Should that ever happen, everybody will know, with the two of them being among the first.

So where are Nigel Hughes, Aubrey Norton and their talented tenth when people gather to pray, chant, sing?  Jump and wave, and sing and shout, among the brethren could lead to all being well with many souls.  Surely, they must have an archbishop in their crowd.  If not, a regular parson will do.  The point is that the opposition dukes and duchesses must learn to get away from the podium and microphones and cameras and learn to mix with the common people.  Why, even a man as, ah, far gone as Don Trump has cultivated a serious following in the US circle of believers.  Phagwah, Eid (either one), and other such dates on the local calendar must be studied on how they can be worked to maximum advantage.  Jesus did go in the temple and run out some people who were a bit untoward.  The concern is if the names being called and urged into public spaces would be the ones run out of houses of worship.  That is, those who are seen as desecrator and who feels desecrated.  Come to think of it, even Attila the Hun and one of those great Roman generals named Scipio did intrude rather boldly into the sanctum sanctorum.  The conclusion is that whether war or politics, this is neither playtime nor Play Doh nor the season for political playboys.  Both the PNC and AFC should learn, if they are going to represent a respected presence in 2025, and with respectful voter response resulting.

In the field of play, there was Field Marshal and Commander in Chief, Mohamed Irfaan Ali helicoptering into Leonora for a football match.  Who plays football in Guyana?  If any PPP ‘banna’ sees a race card in that thought, there is always the Ethnic Relations Commission.  Bharat Jagdeo would mount the rescue operation, like he did for the minister in the Ivor Thom affair.  Regardless of who plays football, there was Excellency Ali arriving in Helicopter One.  Everything and everywhere are seen as selling opportunities by the PPP brass.  They may be crass and kick grass, but they know how to sell themselves via selfies and sidling up to impressed Guyanese.  Mr. Hughes and Mr. Norton had better take note.  They all insist on some magic about going it alone.  They might as well kiss next year goodbye and jump overboard.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) 

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• comrades, governments, leveraged, missionaries, party’s, spiritual ministry, Vice President Jagdeo

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