Having exposed their weaknesses during the recent public hearings by the

high-level Commission of Inquiry  into the tragedies at Linden during the month of July, only to subsequently embarrass themselves and the Speaker of Parliament by crude disrespect for established parliamentary rules and norms of behaviour, the opposition parties now seem to be on course to further damage their reputation and future.
This is becoming more apparent with respect to the David Granger-led APNU, that is basically the PNCR under a different name, while the AFC continues to cope with its own internal leadership challenges.
Caught in the trap laid by the AFC, prior to the turmoil and tragedies at Linden, and later extended into the mayhem at Agricola Village, the APNU/PNCR leadership is now desperately engaged in floating the idea of a snap general election but yet to demonstrate courage by openly and officially declaring infavour of such a position.
The APNU/PNCR strategists would be quite aware that such a course, costly and stressful as it could well be, is a challenge that remains under active consideration by this first PPPC administration of President Donald Ramotar. His administration would also that is also conscious of pleas of the influential Private Sector for structured tripartite dialogue by the parliamentary parties as well as consultations with leading civil society organizations.
Nevertheless, the APNU/PNCR preferred tactic is to send political straws in the wind via different sources about likely readiness for a snap general election next year.
Consequently, while the APNU/AFC’s  Chief Whip in the National Assembly, Amna Ally, was on the defensive in an interview last week with the ‘Guyana Times’ newspaper, and thought it expedient to state she “believes” her party was ready for a snap poll, another strange message was emanating from what is labeled as the “youth arm” of the PNCR, namely, its Youth and Student Movement (YSM).
Those familiar with the history of the PNC (even before its acquired “reform’ component), would recall that originally the acronym YSM represented what was known as the Young Socialist Movement. Its official demise  remains a grey area.
However, whatever the authenticity of its policies and representational credibility, today’s YSM is also flying the ‘kite’ of a PNCR readiness to possibly move for a veto against the coming 2013 national budget with a view to triggering the necessity for a snap general election.
According to a report attributed to the online news agency, “Demerarawaves”, the chairman of YSM, Christopher Jones, told a public meeting at Stabroek Market Square on Friday night that if conditions of the combined APNU/AFC opposition were not met, they would be urged to vote against the budget with their majority of one, thereby compelling the need for an early return to the polls.
Well, since President  Ramotar has already initiated a fresh effort for a tripartite meeting of the parliamentary parties and, the Speaker, Raphael Trotman, has already signalled his own commitment to ensuring respect for the established rules and conventions of parliament, it is doubtful that any new political development could emerge before November 22 when the National Assembly is due to meet again.
If either the APNU/PNCR decision-makers, or the minority AFC, which is contending with its own internal leadership problems, really favour a snap general election, then let those with the leadership credibility and influence to so appropriately inform the Guyanese people.
Such a development could well set the proverbial cat among the pigeons, compelling President Ramotar to make clear his own government’s position on this vital national issue to put a check on ill-considered talk of a snap general election, or else!