…for survival
Moses Nagamootoo’s been described as an “experienced” politician. We’ve for decades been regularly regaled about his “50 years in politics”. He must’ve plunged into politics directly from the womb! But it’s clear he hit his head in that plunge! How else do you explain his political behaviour after those fifty years?
After all, in all those years, he was facing the SAME political opponent — the PNC. Didn’t he study them? Doesn’t he have a frame of reference to base his judgments about them? What was it that convinced him the PNC had changed their stripes when he went into a coalition with them — the five one-man parties? His weight? Surely Nagamootoo, literary man that he is, had read of the elephant and the mosquito? But just in case you, dear reader, mightn’t, here it is:
“A mosquito saw an elephant crossing a bridge and asked for a ride. The mosquito said, “Hello, mate! What if I sit on your back and give you some company as you cross the bridge?” The elephant said nothing. The mosquito sat on the elephant’s back. He felt very proud that he could persuade the elephant to let him be a co-rider.
As they were crossing the bridge, the mosquito cried out, “Watch out brother, two of us are very heavy, make sure the bridge does not collapse!” The elephant said nothing. As they crossed over through the bridge, the mosquito said, “See, how I guided you safely through?” The elephant said nothing.
Finally, the mosquito got off the elephant’s back and buzzed, “Here is my business card. If you need any help in the future, just call me on my cell phone.” The elephant thought that he heard some whisper somewhere. But he dismissed this as a daydream and marched on…”
The PNC wouldn’t have given any credence to Nagamootoo and Ramjattan if they were the last persons on Earth. In case they hadn’t read the sorry tale above, wasn’t Nagamootoo there when Burnham and the PNC dumped the UF like a used tissue full of snot? Seems not…he must’ve been daydreaming about being Jagan’s heir!!
So here it is, he now has to sing for his supper (and sirens) – and doesn’t even get consulted on the lyrics!! Oh, what a shame!
All his life, Nagamootoo’s been struggling for respectability: you just have to read his thinly-disguised biography, “Henree’s Cure,” to know how deep the wounds were.
To get that law degree at his advanced age couldn’t have been easy. Is he going to make a mockery of that by going along with the travesty of the unilateral GECOM appointment?
It’s a shad, shad situation!!
…of the dictatorship
One of the features of the Burnhamite PNC dictatorship was Burnham’s insistence on covering his excesses with legal fig leaves. Unlike most of the Latin American banana republic types that surrounded him, Burnham harked to the lessons gleaned from his up-close observations of the British mode of rule: You do whatever the heck you want, but you pass legislation to cover your actions. That’s what “positivist” law is all about, isn’t it?
So followers of Burnham, like Trotman (and Pressie, his fellow Nassau Accord signatory), insist on observing “the forms” – and to hell with the spirit of the laws!! Understand what’s going down with the GECOM Chair now? Anyhow, the Trini former Energy Minister (and our former Speaker) both expressed alarm at the powers kept in the hands of Minister Trotman in the LEGISLATION governing the new Petroleum Commission.
Well, sirs, welcome to the world of realpolitik, PNC style!! The world — and EITI — expects a Petroleum Commission; and by golly, Guyana now has one.
Who reads the (controlling) fine print??
…on principles
The action of Joe Singh and Chris Ram to cut links with the Government to signal their disgust with the GECOM farce must be commended.
But after all they’ve done to show they’re unhyphenated “Guyanese”, the racially directed attacks must hurt.
