Many people are jumping around stating how democratic the PNC is because they apparently had a fair election for their presidential candidate.
But there is something astounding about this. A party that has been around for five decades should not be gloating about having one democratic act.
Think about how many things have happened between the formation of the PNC and the first time it did something democratic.
While the PNC was waiting for its first free vote, the Cold War started and ended, all the dictatorships in Eastern Europe rose and fell, China moved from the Cultural Revolution to a market-based economy, the Duvalier’s were sent packing from the great country of Haiti, the third world moved from an ISI orientation to market-based economies, tyrants like Mubarak were driven out of Egypt, men landed on the moon, the internet was invented, the European Union was formed.
In Guyana itself, Timehri Airport (the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri) replaced Atkinson Air Base, the Demerara and Berbice bridges were built, the Convention Center and CARICOM headquarters were constructed; Guyanese got televisions, phones, cell phones and internet service, the staggering shortages of the PNC era disappeared, housing schemes like Diamond and Tuschen were built from the ground, and quite poignantly, democracy replaced dictatorship.
While all of these things happened, that is, as the world was going through massive changes on all fronts, one thing stayed intact – viz, the PNC could not have a single act that was democratic. This is a party that was rigging its own elections!
Even the election of David Granger, the much touted single act of democracy did not go without reservation. Dr. Van-West Charles and others were debarred from contesting the PNC election on technical grounds, a matter that is consistent with the history of this party.
The late Winston Murray Group, that is, the PNC moderates, apparently wanted to go into a new direction, to introduce a breadth of fresh air. The Group called for the PNC to apologise. They have gotten neither so far. The election for the PNC candidate was marked by conspicuous flaws, flaws that were identified by party members.
And to date, Mr. Granger has not indicated if he will apologise as requested by some senior people in his party. Mr. Granger has not yet shown any respect for the moderates in his party and that is not a good sign for the Guyanese population as a whole.
When will Mr. Granger apologise to that generation of Guyanese who indeed deserve such an apology?