THE assessment of the performance of the Donald Ramotar-led administration by Leader of the Opposition, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger as a failure is intriguing; but when compared to his assessment of his own leadership, it seems most comical and immature.President Ramotar has been the first President of Guyana to lead a government that did not have control of the House. And he’s doing it in one of the most politically volatile and hostile periods in Guyana; yet he has managed to maintain stability.  A reflection on the last three years would recall the major humbug in development projects being the difficulty in having the funds approved by the National Assembly. A government needs to be able to plan in the long-term for developmental projects. The fact that the Donald Ramotar-led government succeeded in having three Budgets approved, albeit vastly altered, and still was able to maintain economic stability and growth and a stable industrial climate is commendable, given the fact that the Budget cuts not only threatened jobs but also reduced spending.
Granger’s assessment of his tenure as Leader of the Opposition as excellent and splendid exposes his political immaturity; he is still grappling with challenges to his leadership within his Party. Let’s not forget his recent re-election to the leadership which was fraught with criticism of the process being flawed. He has alienated all others who have shared a view that differs from his. Within the National Assembly, the smaller of the two parties has shown more leadership.
He has failed to earn the respect of that smaller party, to the extent that it is now proposing to lead an alliance of its own, and has invited the APNU to join it. His inability as a leader was further exposed with the Linden Electricity issue, and the resultant fallout between the Linden faction and the Granger faction that was further exposed at the last Party congress.
Had it not been for the media that are friendly with his coalition Party and their vigorous opposition of the government, the abysmal failure of the coalition and Granger as a leader would have been exposed, thereby leading to a crumbling of the APNU.
So, what exactly did Granger achieve as Leader of the Opposition? Budget cuts which hindered progress, and led to many of the nation’s youth being out of jobs. Funding for developmental projects not being approved, again leading to reduced job opportunities. His inhumane and dictatorial handling of his fellow Members of Parliament to achieve his political sabotage. The one area in which he has excelled is hampering the development of the economy.
Had it not been for his support of an unfair and unjustified action, there would be have been no need for the resultant action by President Ramotar. History will record the quality of leadership shown by the President in this new era of political development in Guyana. It will also record the action of others that have hampered our development over the last three years.