I return to the issue of the Opposition’s failure to use its political leverage to bring the Government to the table when its support was sought by President Irfaan Ali on the Venezuela issue. As said in my last article, the support of the other half of Guyanese -who the PPP continues to abuse- for Guyana’s sovereignty goes without saying, given the history in building Guyana and fighting to protect the country against aggression, internal and external.
However, we must remember the PPP regime, particularly that of Jagdeo who is now serving his third term as the defacto President, has proven capable of doing anything and disrespecting the other section of society they now want to lay their lives on the line to protect them foremost and country after. In their world it is never about country, only self.
Under the despotic Jagdeo, Guyana had state-sponsored death squads, and then minister of home affairs Ronald Gajraj had said ‘if circumstances presented itself again [he] will do it all over again.’ The PPP, under Jagdeo and Ali, has demonstrated that African Guyanese are not desirable in this society unless they do their biddings, and can serve alongside them as underdogs and second-class citizens.
Today workers and their families, who were denied equitable flood relief, agricultural cash grant, COVID-19 cash grant, are expected to be in a state of readiness to defend Guyana. I hope President Ali realises the threat of a Venezuelan invasion of Guyana, brings forcefully to the forefront that should this ever happen, our national motto of “One People One Nation One Destiny” becomes a key focus and rallying call, for we will all face the same outcome, the same destiny, whatever it is. A destiny of ill will that he and Jagdeo are mapping out for African Guyanese may well face all of us with their divided governance.
Why must African Guyanese, who form the majority in the Disciplined Services, now trust them unconditionally, and what is our Opposition Leader doing to ensure this and other issues are addressed. The PPP has done nothing to prove Africans and our labour force can trust them.
When they are not killing us, they are depriving and denigrating us. Look at the black woman for Caneview/Mocha EBD, who the police, last January, handcuffed her arms behind her back and kept her in the mud for hours. That image is seared in our memory never to be forgotten.
Last June Commander Mahendra Singh calls fellow Guyanese “thugs” and threatened to inflict harm on them. He was at the time the command officer on the ground at the Hillfoot, Linden/Soesdyke highway, where persons were seeking to protect their few belongings being destroyed and the State’s harassment.
The Jagdeo and Ali regime are guilty of undermining the structures of state and society such as the trade union movement, now they are telling us about national unity in the presence of external threats when they themselves pose serious threat to the safety, security and unity of this nation.
As recent as a few weeks ago President Ali sought to undermine the Guyana Teachers Union in his continued process of marginalising selective institutions that protect citizens, promoting only those that pose no challenge to their brutal regime.
We cannot negotiate and bargain with the PPP like toothless poodles and Norton must embrace this thinking. Stop acting like the Opposition in waiting and act like an Opposition of action. He is Opposition with 31 seats. Desmond Hoyte and Robert Corbin did more with less.
Norton must therefore be held accountable as Opposition Leader, and citizens must turn their analytical minds towards assessing his performance just as they assess that of the PPP in government. Being toothless does not help Norton’s image nor does it bring about change. If anything, it empowers and emboldens the PPP.
Whilst some may believe this is not the time to hold Ali accountable to the internal management of the state, let us not forget the PPP only respond to pressure and will not on their own, when conditions are favourable to them, resolve differences and issues of societal concerns that do not affect them.
Ali wants workers and their families who were denied equitable flood relief, agricultural cash grant, COVID-19 cash grant to be in a state of readiness to defend Guyana. He has no conscious and I hope he realise at the end day the threat of Venezuela’s invasion of Guyana brings forcefully to the forefront of our minds that should this every happen it is not about ‘one Guyana’ but “One People One Nation One Destiny,” for we all will face the same outcome.
