APNU’s refusal to sign the Code of Conduct is sacrilegious
For years now the Opposition and their affiliates in the media have sought to lecture others on the adherence to professional reporting and, to some extent, professionalism in political exchanges. This is not an unfair position to take, and as it relates to election coverage, a Code of Conduct has been established for all involved to sign as a show of intent to conform. This is nothing new, and in relation to the upcoming elections, most have signed the Code of Conduct. Notably absent is APNU which touts itself as the main Opposition.

Given all of its vile diatribes with related demands, it is inconceivable that APNU has blatantly refused to sign this document for which they articulated! APNU’s Rupert Roopnarine is defending the Party’s position of not signing the Code of Conduct. He is now making demands which are not only outlandish, but which are not within the purview of the said document. Roopnarine has been marketed as an academic. Surely someone with such a classification must be familiar with the Terms of Reference of such a document.

He must be reminded that, as mentioned, this is nothing new. He is adamant his Party would not sign the document. Such change of position is in keeping with the character of the PNC which is what APNU really is. The PNC has a history of not delivering on promises and as such, the flip-flopping of not wanting to sign the Code of Conduct is not surprising. Guyanese must not take such actions by Roopnarine and APNU lightly. They must demand to know the real reasons why a Party that is hoping to take office, would not want to sign a Code of Conduct that has been agreed to by all and signed by everyone else.

Any Code of Conduct is self explanatory in its mandate. The PNC has changed its name to APNU. Clearly the Party has not changed its attitude. History has shown the PNC’s proclivity to intimidate, disrupt and cause damage during elections. Given this, and now the refusal by the re-branded APNU not to sign the Code of Conduct, it can safely be concluded that the Party is not interested in peace and would not want to operate within parameters to promote a clean and incident free elections. In other words, APNU would prefer not to be tied to any accord that promotes professionalism and peace.

These tendencies were forcefully articulated by Roopnarine at APNU’s poorly attended rally in Linden last Saturday. Instead of dealing with issues, he and his fellow speakers resorted to vilifying the PPP/C. Again, this is not surprising because APNU/PNC/AFC cannot challenge the government on development, progress and the vast improvement of the living standards of Guyanese since 1992. The evidence of such is overwhelming and punctuates the landscape, drowning the Opposition’s mantra to misinform.

Deficient of substance to tell their dwindling supporters, APNU and its visionless leaders’ only option is to disparage the administration and call for disruption. In Linden, Roopnarine called on Linderers to take protest action during the PPP/C rally last Sunday. Why would a Party like APNU that calls for peace and professionalism on one hand refuse to take action by signing the Code of Conduct? Why would Roopnarine of all persons call for disruption? This is just another example of the hypocritical stance the PNC was known for and which has been inherited by APNU.

The WPA suffered from such political intimidation with dire consequences. Their then Leader, the indomitable Dr. Walter Rodney, was assassinated! Roopnarine and colleagues fought against such intimidation and thuggery. Why would the same Roopnarine now vehemently call for such intimidation against the PPP/C? The WPA which lost relevance years now, is clutching at straws to survive. Desperate to survive, the remnants of the Party have found themselves in bed with the PNC so much so that Congress Place loyalists are disillusioned by the take over of their Party by the likes of Roopnarine and other former colleagues of Dr. Rodney.

Thankfully, Guyanese are now more enlightened and as such the preposterous calls of Roopnarine and others for protest action against the PPP/C in Linden went unheeded. Guyanese have ignored Roopnarine and the WPA in past elections. The same will obtain for 2011. One thing that will not be ignored is the “eyepass” and sacrilege Roopnarine has done to Dr. Rodney. Dr. Rodney will haunt him while revolving in his grave.