HAMILTON Green, former Prime Minister and de facto strongman in the PNC dictatorial administration, and since 1994, Mayor of the nation’s capital, apart from being one of the most controversial politicians in this country’s political history, qualifies as well as one of the most contradictory. The latter characteristic, especially, is so nakedly exemplified in his ‘Prem Misir must deal only with the truth’.

Since becoming chief citizen, he has been promoting the concept of a new moral and spiritual revival as being the answer to his perceived ills of this society. Well, he had an entire twenty eight years to have observed that Guyana under his beloved founder leader’s iron fisted rule would have necessitated his prescription, but instead actively supported those numerous police state measures.

Could he not then, have foreseen the results of the systematic brutalization of the Guyanese society, where democracy had been murdered, and the crisis which such would have ensued, and therefore begin proselytizing his concept, challenging  his very powerful cousin Forbes in the process?

Certainly he did not! He did not observe the need for his “spiritual revival” then. How can he, after that dark period of dictatorial rule, suddenly realise the necessity for such curative measure, when he was a deliberate and integral party to the cause of its brutal illness?

A further example of his contradictory nature is his frequent overseas travel as City Mayor, purported on Municipal Business. How can he have possibly undertaken such trips, against a severe cash strapped Municipality is a question that he ought to explain to the City rate and taxpayers.

For those who understand the pervasive, social damage that particularly lengthy periods of dictatorial rule occasions in any state, would acknowledge that the institutions that had existed in that said state for the promotion, preservation and well being of democracy would have been obliterated, as had been the case in Guyana. Green has the temerity to mention the current existence of a state-owned, single radio station, as not evidence of a democratic society.

He must be reminded, as I am certain those of us who are old enough to recall the 1980s, ought to be, when there were two radio stations operating in Guyana. Both stations were creatures, as well as victims, of the well known doctrine of Party Paramountcy. Who can forget that iniquitous, lopsided programme ‘Action Line’, moderated by former broadcaster Prince Mason, among others. Not only did this virulent rag evoked great anger even amongst PNC supporters, but it exhibited the realities of a nation bereft of the right of dissenting views, when callers representing such were unceremoniously disconnected. Was that democracy, Hammie? Perhaps, according to the dictates of your party and government!

Since institutions that promulgated democratic principles would have been destroyed as a result of undemocratic rule, as had been the national instance, inevitably it will take some time for these to be rebuilt. And the post-1992 Guyana experience, would have experienced the PPP/C administration, in the face of vicious assaults from numerous quarters, that threatened the democratic restoration process, doing its best to nurture its re-growth and sustenance. The greatest challenge, apart from others, was to cause the people of this nation to once again believe in the process of government for the people and by the people. It is this very success, that has occasioned Freedom House International, and the Democratic Index of the reputable Economist to declare Guyana a free country since 1992.

Finally, there is going to be a Freedom of Information Act, despite a recent Kaieteur News’ article that sought to accuse Prime Minister Hinds of dishonesty, because of a letter he had sent to the House speaker, about the presentation of such an important piece of legislation awhile ago.

This Bill, according to reliable sources, is in the drafting stages and will shortly be presented to Parliament for deliberation. And for those critics, this particular legislation has only recently been enacted in Barbados.