…with the PNC?
If you’re a fan of Oprah (when you reach that level of fame, no second names are necessary, thank you!) you’d know she advises us always to talk. It certainly worked for her, having catapulted her into billionaire status. And we’re talking American greenbacks, not our Monopoly money! But the question is here moved from the general to the specific…should the PPP be talking with the PNC??
The question is posed in answer to a suggestion from an old-time political commentator who used to be with that ROAR outfit. He suggests that, presently, there needs to be some initiative to get our moribund politics going: “A good place for the PPP/C to start a national dialogue on our ethnic dilemma is with the Opposition. Waiting until the PNC reconciles its internal contradictions will only pose a greater challenge to the Government, with the possibility of erasing all that has been achieved during the PPP/C’s first year in office.”
Now, while your Eyewitness is a faithful follower of the Oprah Doctrine on “talking”, he’s a mite confused. Why is it self-evident that, “Waiting until the PNC reconciles its internal contradictions will only pose a greater challenge to the Government”? One guesses “the PNC” the writer is talking about is the faction headed by Granger and his place-mark, Lil Joe Harmon. At least they occupy the formal positions right now. But the “internal contradictions” alluded to aren’t some generalised angst…but specific direct challenges to that leadership from insiders who’ve demonstrated they have widespread support within the base.
So what would be the point of the PPP negotiating with what could very well be a lame-duck PNC leadership? Wouldn’t they simply not only be tipping their hand, but actually making their concessions? So, when Granger and company are ousted – which looks almost certain – wouldn’t their replacements be demanding more concessions be granted, since they would’ve denounced the former as “sellouts”? After all, the challengers’ major criticism of Granger is that he was “too soft” against the PPP!
Nah…your Eyewitness thinks the PPP ought to stay put and continue demanding that Granger and Harmon can’t have their cake and eat it too! As our American exemplars of democracy would say, “Either they sh*t or get off the pot”! The struggle for leadership will reveal the tendencies in the various factions – ranging from the Fanonesque, nihilist bellicosities of the dwindling handful of WPAites to the claimed acceptance of sedate parliamentary electoral politics espoused by the local .00000007.
The WPA ideologues have never been able to muster mass support, so it may boil down to Aubrey Norton — Desmond Hoyte’s discarded “creature” resurrected!
…about unity with Suriname
Suriname’s President Santoki’s State visit, starting tomorrow, is fantastic news. On his first visit – after the protracted elections drama – and President Ali’s reciprocation, they’d really hit it off personally and professionally. The former relationship is not to be sneezed at towards the success of the latter – especially when other leaders have stressed the few disagreements (New River Triangle?) rather than the massive number of commonalities we share.
With Suriname poised to join us as part of Big Oil’s last hurrah, there will be synergies to be exploited in the years ahead. Suriname’s experience as an oil producer (on land) has given them the institutional memory to play a more confident and involved role in the development of their offshore fields. They’re also proceeding full speed ahead on the Corentyne Bridge, and this will widen our Caricom-approved free trade and our prospective markets.
But, most of all, in the area of governance, Suriname’s much more benign ethnic relations in their similar plural society can offer some tips for our more fractious ones.
…fat
After all the racist trash talk from some NY political wannabes and their local compradors, were the two damp-squib “rallies” in Brooklyn and Buxton the best they can do?
So, what’ll be their excuse? COVID-19?
