RAMJATTAN is gloating that he called President Donald Ramotar’s bluff in not supporting the Anti-moneylaundering and Terrorism Bill, without considering or caring about the socio-economic consequences to the Guyanese people. And Granger is being sanctimonious, and grandstanding as usual, while their combined parties hold the nation to ransom and blackmail the Government into granting them more and more concessions that would soon strip it of every executive power of governance, with initiative after initiative falling victim to the executioner’s axe.In the wake of a national crisis created in the United States of America, when Americans across every State reached out to help their fellow Americans, Barack Obama said, feelingly (referring to this spirit of sharing and caring, except for rare instances) “…there are no Republicans and Democrats; only Americans.”
In one of the Hindu Holy Books, it is said that Hindus honour their poets more than their kings, because the emotions of their poets are more powerful than the sword arms of kings, and influence the humanity within humankind more than the creeds, doctrines, and laws of the powerbrokers. Thus was Tulsidas revered for his “Ram Charit Manus”, the lyrical translation of Valmiki’s “Ramayan”.
Barack Obama was responding to the emotion of the moment, and spoke from his heart. If this depth of feeling and patriotism prevails in leaders worldwide, they would not be able to turn a blind eye, a deaf ear, and a stony heart to the needs and/or suffering of their peoples, but would do whatever it takes to be true to their mandates, and create better lives and lifestyles for the citizens of the lands that they rule. Regrettably, historically, those who can do the greatest good for Mankind often choose to do the greatest evil, all because of egos.
When Dr. Cheddi Jagan recognised the grave injustices being done to the working-class people in Guyana and set out on his lifelong journey to equalize opportunities for upward mobility for all living in then British Guiana, with the ultimate objective of acquiring independence from dominion status and self-rule, he did so with the inclusion of all who were willing to undertake that journey with him, with no consideration of creed or colour; merely with people being paramount in the equation.
But time and again, he was betrayed by those who craved power at any cost, even if it meant delaying the acquisition of independence in this country, which it did, and the sacrifice of peace and unity in the nation, which it also did.
But he never relinquished that dream of uniting the Guyanese people, refusing steadfastly to wrest his right to govern by violent means, accepting with patient dignity the grave injustices done to himself and his political party, the PPP, for decades, while one election after another was rigged, until the Americans themselves acknowledged the role they had played in the destruction of Guyana and tried to right that wrong with sanctions imposed on the past administration, and the intervention of the Carter Centre, which eventuated in the first somewhat (not quite, because there were even then attempts at derailment) free-and-fair elections in 1992.
Leading up to that time, Dr. Jagan had tried to join forces with other stakeholders and be inclusionary in his struggles for freedom in this country, even lending “critical support” to the PNC administration when that government undertook or achieved, which it rarely did, positive developmental outcomes in the country.
Space does not permit documentation here of the depredations wrought on this country post and during elections of 1992 in efforts to prevent the creation, and the administration, of a PPP/C Government, but all the destabilizing opposition strategies over the two decades of the PPP/C’s rule are well documented. Yet, the administration prevailed and achieved a near miracle in the nation’s economic growth and social development, especially during the latter years when there was severe recession in global economies.
One could just imagine if the PPP/C Government had been allowed to govern unimpeded by the Opposition’s destructive antics, where Guyana could have been in the global developmental ratings today. Those calling for inclusionary government need to be cognisant of the mayhem that would ensue if there is a joint Cabinet. Let them take a look at what is happening in parliament today, where the Opposition has exceptional powers, especially through the sectoral committees, with the Public Accounts committee always being chaired by the Opposition, and then decide if they want a Cabinet that is engulfed in such chaos.
The private sector, which has benefited the most from the PPP/C’s brilliant management of the nation’s business, is largely to be blamed for the country’s situation today, because of their ambivalence in laying the blame for the stymieing of developmental initiatives in Guyana; so, it is fitting that they should be the ones to suffer the most from their constantly supporting the opposition, and/or not clearly showing their displeasure at their destructive actions.
One wonders how they would be able to manage their business if there is constant wrangling and negative actions by board members; or how they could run their homes if the wife disagrees with everything the husband attempts. It is not too late for the joint Opposition to take stock of their actions, be patriotic, and say to themselves, “Let us put country first and work for the nation’s good,” instead of pitting Guyanese against Guyanese to foster their illusions of self-grandeur, and emulate Obama by saying, “There are no PNC-ites and PPPites, there are only Guyanese.”