…from the diplomats on Govt intransigence
The Opposition Leader had alerted the diplomatic community of the constitutional crisis the Government’s refusal to abide by Article 106 (6) and (7) is precipitating. By now the Cabinet was supposed to have resigned and arranged for elections in three months’ time – with the Government just taking care of essential services. Jagdeo started immediately with the ABC and EU diplomats and has gradually widened his sensitisation efforts, as the PNC-led Government continue to dig its heels in.
But what have the diplomats done about the PNC’s spitting in the face of democratic norms? Zilch; nada; takogo; nothing!! Now you, Dear Reader, may protest that tradition in the comity among nations frowns on “interference” in the internal affairs of nations. But that wouldn’t apply to us, would it? Modern international law has accepted, for instance, that aid or grants can be extended with conditions such as adhering to democratic norms. And as a matter of fact, all the aid from the West now routinely incorporates this caveat.
For instance, when the EU unilaterally broke the Lomé contract for our sugar that was supposed to “last in perpetuity” (so much for the sanctity of contracts!!), they offered compensation for us to ride out the financial choppy waters they’d created. But the moment President Ramotar prorogued Parliament in 2014 – which he was constitutionally allowed to do – in order to seize the initiative to set his own election date after Moses Nagamootoo’s no-confidence motion, the EU suspended disbursement of $5,400,153,527 (over $5 BILLION!!)!! (Not so incidentally, this $5 Billion was handed over to the PNC/AFC Government in 2016 and they yet shut down Wales!!)
There were all sorts of hue and cry from the APNU and AFC camps about the prorogation and the Western embassies took heed. The UK and the OAS demanded elections ASAP!! Your Eyewitness wonders why there’s this intriguing silence on the refusal of the Government to comply with the Constitution. Is this not also a “threat to democracy”?? Is this not also conducive to instability in the region – moreso, at a time when it’s absolutely necessary to prevent another meltdown in view of what is going on in next-door Venezuela??
Your Eyewitness doesn’t want to be an alarmist; but our ethnically divided society doesn’t need much provocation to tilt its politics over the edge. He candidly concedes the influence the Western countries have on the Government of Guyana because of our history and our common culture that’s based on democratic values.
Their intriguing silence at the Government’s intransigence not only sends the wrong signal about their commitment to democratic values. It may suggest that there is some intrigue afoot?
…about school shooter
There seems to be more in the mortar than the pestle on the events surrounding the threat to the Nations’ School and the subsequent shooting of the Principal. Now, after the threat posted on Facebook by a student who was obviously disgruntled at being expelled – and certainly expressed this disgruntlement – most concerned observers thought it was an open-and-shut case.
But the suspect was supposed grilled by the cops – and then let go. Does this mean he had an alibi for the time when the ambush and shooting of the Principal took place? The Police aren’t saying.
Your Eyewitness hopes the case is solved with greater alacrity than the one over in Berbice where a student cuffed a head teacher in the face while out on the streets.
The point is violence in our schools is on the increase – most likely from, once again, imitating the behaviour from “foreign”. In most inner-city schools in the US, there are metal detectors to discourage knives and other weapons in the high schools.
Should we take pre-emptive action?
…on AFC’s status
While the AFC’s been agonising about its “relationship” with the PNC, the latter has stayed mum. One commentator suggested the relationship is one where AFC’s just a “utensil” of the PNC.
A chamber pot or “potty”??
