THE announcement by his Excellency, President Donald Ramotar, of a proclamation, proroguing the Tenth Parliament, is definitely a historic incident of a watershed kind in the political history of this country. OBSERVER supports the President’s view that this constitutional option has been exercised as a last resort, in order to avoid what may have surely deteriorated into a confrontational Sitting of the Assembly. And lest there are those who will listen to the combined Opposition’s view of a Government wanting to wield dictatorial powers, because of the President’s action, let them be reminded that the latter’s action is constitutionally sanctioned. All that has occurred is a pre-emptive measure that stopped the combined opposition in its tracks.
When, three years ago, so much had been promised because of the peculiarities of the 2011 national poll result, that it is unbelievable that Guyana has been brought to another critical stage of its current status of a middle-income country, not so long declared.
Therefore, should there have been the threat of a No-Confidence Motion originated by a mere little pip-squeak, political infant Party called the Alliance For Change (AFC)? Absolutely not! However, a little digression here.
There is the conclusive belief that the senior Opposition Party, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and its leader have been reluctantly dragged into this unnecessary gambit by its junior partner. Without relating all the details, it was clear that Granger’s incessant calls for the holding of the Local Government poll reflected an entirely different thought process. In fact, Granger, having disappointed many of his constituents with his tactless and abysmal show of leadership in dealing with his Party’s internal wars, apparently decided that supporting such a Motion advances his image as a decisive leader. Unfortunately, it has not; for, not only is it thoroughly unnecessary, but in terms of being categorised as a national priority, it is not!
Often, OSERVER has posited that much had been expected of this retired army commander now political leader, given his extensive service to such a pivotal institution of this country as the army, and, of course, his extensive academic background. These vantage points definitely give him an objective perspective in understanding what the needs of this country are; and, as opposition leader, his first commitment is to the national interest.
Instead, history will judge him as an Opposition Leader whose parliamentary conduct, together with the AFC, has made this Parliament one of very little legislative achievement for advancing the lives of even his Party’s followers.
So much could have, and should have, been achieved, had it not been for the false presumption that having a one-seat majority gives both these two Parties claims to demanding the right to perform executive functions a la crafting of the National Budget! OBSERVER wonders from whence they derived such an understanding?
There is no doubt that had both these two Parties not supplanted power-play politics in the place of consensus, much in the line of cooperation would have been achieved; all for the national good.
The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism l (AML/CFT) Bill and the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, critically important to Guyana’s socio-economic future, both suffered because of Opposition bullyism.
It is evident that the President’s action, as widely described, is a ‘cooler’ designed for the Parliamentary Opposition to re-think their conduct, especially asking themselves whether Guyana would have benefited from actions that have been wholly unpatriotic. Their contribution to national development is ever so much welcomed.
Ball in dem Court!