Dear Editor,
The nation should pay key attention to the political rhetoric that came from the opposition PPP platform in Port Mourant, Berbice, at the Memorial ceremony for its late founder leader and former President, Cheddi Jagan. In political terms, given the present situation in the country, the utterances of Bharrat Jagdeo and the other top leaders at the PPP’s most significant memorial event cannot be treated as the normal bantering of the opposition.
President David Granger, in addressing the GDF’s Annual Officers Conference, used the occasion to demonstrate political vigilance when he expressed his and the coalition government’s concerns over the opposition leader’s address in Berbice. The Head of State and Commander in Chief in his address to the assembled security officers said, “Reckless remarks about an uprising and provocative calls for the mobilisation of foot soldiers have the potential to rip apart the fragile fabric of social cohesion that we enjoy”. In making those remarks President Granger took the opportunity to put the opposition on notice.
To understand the evolving dynamics in Guyana we must examine what is the present political situation in the country and see how it is influencing the political actions of the opposition? The APNU+AFC coalition government came to office in 2015 with a mandate to restore Guyana to political, economic and social normalcy after 23 years of PPP misrule. A major aspect of that mandate is the dismantling of the criminal state and the economic and social infrastructure which is inherent with its evolution. This is no easy task given the political/racial implications and the unavoidable economic and social disruption that will arise in the process of destroying the PPP built criminal state.
Since coming to power the incumbent administration has implemented numerous policy measures, audits and institutional renovations that are intended to achieve its mandate. As a result of these measures it was able to garner unquestionable evidence of the high levels of corruption that took place under the former regime, which amount to billions of dollars annually.
Unravelling of the criminal network that operates in the state and the private sector, be it the smuggling of gold, fuel, diamonds, currency, procurements, over run on government contracts, land frauds, non-payment of royalties and tax evasion, is proving to be difficult and challenging. In spite of the difficulties the work has continued unabated, since stopping the financial and economic haemorrhaging of the country‘s resources is a national priority. While many of the measures taken by the government to address the situation is not well known among the masses, the same is not true of the efforts of the opposition party and criminal syndicates that operate in the country. These forces are employing every trick in the book to undermine efforts to end their dishonest and corrupt practices. The government therefore has to be more robust and creative in its PR campaign if it intends to keep citizens apprised and supportive of the work it is doing.
The opposition party has been the major beneficiary of the corruption and misappropriation of state assets. Their political survival is linked to the preservation of the criminal infrastructure in the society. They are now the principal political actors, organising and coordinating the fight of the political/business criminal elite to neutralise the regime’s actions. These efforts are manifested in the party’s positions on the following issues: (1) the unpatriotic and racists position taken on government’s efforts to restructure Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo); (2) their hostility to SOCU and SARU; (3) their opposition to the widening of the tax base; (4) efforts to arrest tax evasion; and (5) measures to deal with currency smuggling. Government’s actions in the above areas are consistent with that of normal governance, but, in so far as the PPP and its criminal allies are concerned these policies, point to a life and death struggle.
An examination of the PPP’s rhetoric at its Berbice rally tells it all: (a) Sugar workers must rise up against the closure of estates; (b) APNU+AFC government are intimidating businesspersons; (c) allegations against SARU; (d) the coalition government is driving fear in various sections of the population; (e) people must be prepared to come on the streets; (f) the government wants to unilaterally appoint GECOM Chairman; (g) PPP is the only party that stands between this government and dictatorship; and (h) an appeal to foot soldiers.
While most of the above propaganda is not new, the choice of place, timing and the tone of the rhetoric is not accidental. For Jagdeo and the PPP it amounts to reading the “riot act“ and signal the road they intend to take Guyana down. The threats implicit in these remarks were not missed by President Granger.
Regards
Tacuma Ogunseye