WHAT motivates a political opposition to sow seeds of discord simply because? At some points, the PNC, as the largest bloc in the APNU+AFC coalition, makes statements which connote amnesia that’s selective at best and dishonest at worst. Context is needed.

The renaming of “Indian Arrival Day” to “Arrival Day” was one of the cosmetic fixes attempted by Mr Granger during his presidency as part of a watered-down social cohesion effort which not only failed to get off the ground, but also used taxpayers’ money to engage in consultations for a social cohesion programme, and created a social cohesion ministry with a ministerial portfolio which was later reduced to a department under the Ministry of the Presidency, all the while employing a coordinator for social cohesion under that ministry turned department.

It felt like the ministerial portfolio for social cohesion was more of a space-saved for ministers, who either were not beneficiaries of mainstreamed portfolios, as in the case of Ms Ally from the inception of their term, or were placed there to keep them out of the public eye, as in the case of Dr Norton following the “Charlestown drug bond” scandal which eventually saw him removed from the minister of health portfolio.

Mr Granger’s published remarks on the matter at Plantation Highbury in 2017, reads: “Arrival Day is a national celebration. All Guyanese should commemorate the chapter in our history when our peoples arrived in this country. This date, 5th May, this event, this commemoration at this place, Highbury, reminds us of the value that we all place on being together and at the same time being able to preserve our own identity.

“Arrival Day is observed as a national holiday on the 5th May each year. Today is also designated officially as Indian Arrival Day, so it is a double celebration, it’s National Arrival Day and Indian Arrival Day… Arrival Day commemorates the transformation of this country by the people who came: the Africans, the Chinese, the Indians and Portuguese who came here and mingled with the Amerindians, the people who have lived here from time immemorial. Arrival Day signifies the transformation also of the demographic and the political economy of British Guiana as it was then.”

Much to the surprise of anyone who was already baffled by the bizarre rationale of Mr Granger at the time of his presidency, his party, the PNCR, has now demanded the renaming of “Arrival Day” to “Indian Arrival Day.” It begs the question of whether this fickle seesawing in the politics of naming could be seen as an attempt to stoke feud where it does not exist, and score political points among a demographic group which, after the sordid politics in Guyana’s formative years between 1964 to 1992, has largely not supported them.

The recent PNCR statement on “Arrival Day” reads: “To strengthen national integration and social cohesion by according due respect and recognition to the various ethnic groups in our multicultural society, the former Leader of the PNCR and President of Guyana, David Granger, issued two public notices: (i) on February 27, 2017, he designated May 3rd each year as PORTUGUESE ARRIVAL DAY; and (ii) on January 6, 2017, he designated January 12th each year as CHINESE ARRIVAL DAY.

“Given these changed circumstances surrounding the original purpose of Arrival Day — coupled with the fact that Guyanese of African and Amerindian origins have designated days or months to celebrate their distinct heritages — the PNCR hereby joins the call for the May 5th observances to be officially recognized henceforth as INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY.

“Designating May 5th as INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY also respects the historic fact that the date specifically marks the arrival of the first Indian Indentured labourers to these shores.”

Is this a reflection of something deeper within the party that the actions of Mr Granger did not receive support from those in the now party leadership? Plausible, considering the public tit for tat unfolding since, and even before, the party’s last December biennial congress. Much of this feels like a grab for points by any means necessary.