UN Resident Co-ordinator Mikiko Tanaka, presumably speaking for the organisation she represents, had some advice, on the 75th anniversary of the UN, for the Guyanese political leaders. She said, “Parliamentary decision-making should entail consensus building and compromise so as to be inclusive of all sides.” Is she for real?? How long has she been in Guyana? Your Eyewitness knows that these diplomats have to be…urm…diplomatic. But even then, don’t they have to make suggestions that fall in the realm of possibilities?
Was she here on Dec 21, 2020?? That’s when the APNU/AFC MP Charandass exercised one of the fundamental mechanisms in parliamentary democracy designed to save its inalienable imperative that the voice of the people, through their representatives, must be unfettered. Was Ms Tanaka expecting that after the No Confidence Vote was passed, the PPP should have COMPROMISED to allow the PNC to violate a constitutional provision specifically inserted to perform the function that was intended??
Why didn’t the PNC “compromise” in 2015 when it had a one-seat majority that was challenged by the PPP in court, but the petition was never heard by the courts?? Why didn’t the PNC “compromise” when every court, excepting one in Guyana, snickered when the PNC insisted that 33 wasn’t a majority of 65 – when they’d taken the reins of Government on just that same majority?? But we really don’t have to go over the entire shameful year in our history, do we?
Seems to your Eyewitness that it’s only when the PNC doesn’t get its way that we hear these calls for “compromise”. What is the PNC’s is the PNC’s, but what is the PPP’s should always be open to negotiation – at the end of the barrel of a gun held by the PNC!! Now, that doesn’t look like “compromise” to your Eyewitness, but as plain old bullyism!!
Whenever the PNC doesn’t get what it wants, it just creates mayhem – most recently at West Coast Berbice – and out come those calls for “compromise”!! This is pure, unadulterated nonsense!! No country can go forward unless those who purport to represent their constituency are amenable to keeping agreements THEY THEMSELVES AGREED TO AND SIGNED!
Burnham signed an agreement with the Brits and the UF in 1964 to use elections to remain in office, then broke the agreement at the very next elections!! And breaks them to the day he croaks, when his successor does the same thing. The Americans then pressured the PNC to sign a new agreement on running elections from 1992 – but here came Granger, the latest PNC leader, who broke that agreement the first chance he got!!
And this Tanaka lady from the UN expects the PPP to now “compromise” with the PNC?? Right!!
…on Movie Night
Well, thank God someone on the COVID-19 Task Force allowed good sense to prevail. Your Eyewitness’s spirits had perked up when he heard MovieTowne was gonna bring back the old “drive in” movie experience. Regular movie going, of course, had ground to a halt with this COVID-19 pandemic. Too risky, said the authorities, even though they’d allowed more bodies per cubic inch every day of the week in the shopping areas of downtown Georgetown!!
But, for a day, the COVID-19 Task Force insisted they couldn’t give permission. Didn’t they realise it wasn’t just MOVIES your Eyewitness protested (with some serious internal screaming!) but DRIVE-IN MOVIES?? Didn’t they want this new generation to experience – at long last – some old-fashioned, non-mediated, non-social-media sparking?? Didn’t they want some callow, pimply-faced youth to let his fingers do the walking on something other than a glass-covered smartphone?
Anyhow, as your Eyewitness said, good sense prevailed, so don’t bother calling him tonight.
He and his baby will be sparking!!
…on lockdown
Now, don’t get your Eyewitness wrong; he agrees the authorities have to get tough with enforcing the COVID-19 regulations.
But, at MovieTowne, folks are going to be in their own cars. And wearing their masks, no?
