When Darwin came up with his Theory of Evolution, a key component was his insistence that its mechanism was “survival of the fittest” – in a process of “natural selection”. Lots of folks forget the last part. And in Guyana, they therefore miss why the PNC still survive when they’re weaker than “rotten rope”! Or, in the case of the AFC, “dead meat”!!
What natural selection means is that the “fittest” is defined by the environment. Lots of fur on an animal in the tropics doesn’t make him fitter to survive here than if he were in the frozen tundra! So, if we really want to predict whether the PNC are going the way of the Dodo, then we’d better examine the environment in which they operate. What we think is “weakness” might just be the feature needed to survive in the environment in which those two parties operate!!
Now, right now, the minnow challengers are coming after the PNC leadership, and your Eyewitness had speculated that Granger and Harmon might be using the “rope-a-dope” tactic in the “rumble in the jungle” now going on. The AFC evidently believe that the PNC big wigs are going down for the count, and in their characteristically lowdown (“down low”?) manner, they’re trying to carve out some space for themselves before the referee slaps the canvass! They’ve made their move in Region 4 RDC, where two of their Councillors are challenging the PNC Chair and his Deputy.
Now, we know there was some bad blood even before the elections, when the AFC was promised the Reg 4 Deputy’s post but the PNC reneged! But note the timing of the challenge: Ramjattan figures the PNC ship is sinking, and like the rat he is, he’s jumping off!! Poor fella. But then he’s not exactly noted as a strategic player, is he? Like the minnows, he doesn’t appreciate the importance of the environment for the PNC and their present leadership’s survival potential.
In Guyanese politics, control of the Party’s organisational mechanisms – especially the voting mechanisms at Congress – is crucial for political survival, especially at the top. All the noise and bluster by the minnows – and now the move by Ramjattan and the AFC – will be for naught, like mutts barking at a passing car! – since Granger and Harmon control the party’s mechanisms!! Why do you think fewer than the proverbial handful of PNC MPs have criticised Granger – implicitly or explicitly??
Granger will ensure that only folks loyal to him get invited to Congress – virtual or live. And in this environment, Granger is the fittest!! As they say in Guyana, “moutar different from guitar”!!
And it’s been all moutar from the minnows up to now!!
…of the economy
The Delta variant of COVID-19 is forcing even the developed economies to rethink reopening up their economies. They had a head-start with vaccines – and hogged them for the longest while to take care of their own – but now they’re facing the same challenges as we are. On one hand, the new strain’s proving to be much more invasive that the previous ones, and there’s no way to predict that future mutations won’t continue this trend.
On the other hand, all countries are faced with “vaccine hesitancy”, along with the long established anti-vaxxers. This is the big stumbling block to reaching the nirvana of “herd immunity” – where the vaccine spread will be self-contained. In Guyana, it’s unfortunate that politicians seeking to challenge the PNC leadership are leading a movement to encourage “non-vaccination” under the false dilemma of “my body, my choice”!!
They’re simply exacerbating the stranglehold on the economy more than even the mandatory distancing, masking and hand-washing have caused.
Undermining the PPP regime?
…and success
The epitome of survival and success in Guyana, of course, has to be Cheddi Jagan.
Imagine, remaining 28 years in the political wilderness, yet believing his day would come!
There is something to be said for blind faith!!
