An agenda devoid of interest for country and people

TO say that the Opposition’s agenda in Guyana is to oppose, would be giving it much undeserved credit. If it were simply a case of opposing, then it may not be too unfair to posit that the current political situation could have been different. Of course, that’s being optimistic. That aside, generally, opposing government’s polices and programmes to be implemented is considered routine for Oppositions, but then all Oppositions are not the same.

Life generally gives us opposites; night and day, etc. Being in the Opposition is no different. There are those who oppose objectively and put country and people’s welfare first. In these cases, wranglings tend to cease when issues of national importance and development arise. Then, of course, there are those who oppose for the sake of just doing so without concern for country and people. They rigidly box themselves in to stay true to their title.

However, in fairness to the latter, in some cases, it has not been indisposed to demonstrating traits of the former. In other words it can rise above partisanship. By this brief classification, it simply means that Opposition Parties in general can divorce themselves from being partisan and rise, whenever the occasion beckons, to demonstrate a sense of profound patriotism. Also by this said brief classification, it begs the question, to which category Guyana’s Opposition belongs.

Before venturing into the realm of related classification, it would be more than useful to try and achieve some semblance of understanding, even though tedious, of the Opposition’s agenda. To try and grasp this, it would become necessary to deconstruct the agenda. Clearly, this first installment of this ‘Deconstructing the Opposition’s agenda’ series would be woefully inadequate to comprehend the underpinnings of this deconstruction. First and foremost, the Opposition has to be judged on its public pronouncements and actions.

During the life of the tenth Parliament, in which the combined Opposition held a one-seat majority, it failed miserably to foster any semblance of interest for nation and people. This blatant demonstration of such non-interest and which has been thoroughly articulated and debated in the public domain, remained the hallmark.

The refusal to support major transformative projects like the Amaila Hydro, the Specialty Hospital and the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport along with scuttling the Anti-Money Launder bill, was counterproductive to the welfare of the nation and its people, and that’s putting it mildly. Many questions were, and still being asked; why would an Opposition that advocates for a better country, callously deny the people the benefits from these projects and put them at risk of the consequences of the non-passage of the Anti-Money Laundering bill?

Despite which generation one belongs to, these projects would have propelled the country’s modernisation trajectory onwards to a developed nation, thereby securing a brighter future for all; the operative word being all!

Their supporters would have benefited too! Many, if not all, have deemed the Opposition’s actions as irresponsible in an insatiable appetite for power with no regard for people’s welfare. This hunger for power is the heart of their agenda and with every “heartbeat” being a sound of desperation.

Young people should note that this desperation for power by the Opposition at the expense of people and country, while glaringly obvious to them following the 2011 general elections, has always been a characteristic. History will so vindicate. It is with this history and their actions over the past three years, well history too, which need to be further deconstructed to reveal the real face of the Opposition. For many, such deconstruction may not be necessary for they have seen through the mask. Others may have a difficulty in even noticing the mask.

This series is geared at just that; removing the mask. That aside, coming back to categorizing Guyana’s Opposition, based on what was mentioned and the known facts, it would be highly improbable, to the point of being impossible, to place it within any of the two groups noted above. That makes Guyana unique in this regard; its Opposition is in a category all by itself. More on the agenda in subsequent installments.

By Teayken A. Dhigg

Young people should note that this desperation for power by the Opposition at the expense of people and country, while glaringly obvious to them following the 2011 general elections, has always been a characteristic. History will so vindicate.