– Loss in 2011 should be an Indicator for 2016
– Campaign for Changing the Constitution – Yet fights the Court Decision
– Lacks understanding of “Putting Guyana First”
By Dr. Peter R. Ramsaroop
Most politicians go through a stage of denial after losing a major election. Many around the world are kicked out of the leading role in their party after such a crushing loss as the party prepares for the next time around. APNU loss in the 2011 elections was by a wide percentage.
In the Caribbean, especially, it seems like politicians never go away. They keep coming back as in the case of Owen Arthur in Barbados and others. In 2006, Robert Corbin ran for President as the candidate for the PNC/R and loss. I remember him saying you should have one crack at the electorate and then you need to shape your transition for your successor. He kept his promise and moved on.
Mr. Granger has loss a major election. His party seats in parliament cannot pass a single piece of legislation on their own without the help of another party. . He is being held up as the Opposition Leader by the Alliance for Change (AFC).
Without the AFC seats, he would simply be a minority opposition leader and isolated from any major decision making with no bargaining power. The AFC has proved the electorate wrong by failing to fulfil their charter as the balance of power by looking at critical programs that move Guyana forward. The Opposition has attempted aggressively to move Guyana backwards.
Like all businesses, politics is cyclical. Luckily for us, it is a constitutionally mandated cycle. Where there are seats of power to be had, candidates will spring up to pursue them. The Opposition campaign fiercely for Constitutional Change.
Each opening line on every speech had the word “Constitutional Change” They said many areas were flawed and that it was their only priority in Parliament. In their campaign, they even talked about the clause that said, “Parliament can only approve or disapprove the budget” and that needs to be changed.
Now that that the court has ruled, they call foul. Their failed promise to bring the constitution to the top of the table, again demonstrates their inability to govern.
When you are a national leader, whether you are in government or in opposition and the reason why we have an opposition is that the opposition is so organized and respected that it can form a government; and whiles that government is working there is an opposition that works also with the government in constructive criticisms and accountability processes that complete the cycle of democracy, that is the book theory.
What we have seen in the last two years, is an opposition bent on hurting our nation and ultimately our people.
The continued debacle by the Opposition on the AML/CFT bill is mind boggling. This was not the bill for political grandstanding. It is hurting our nation, our people. The General Secretary for the PPP, Clement Rohee said it best
“Non-passage of the AML/CFT Bill will have devastating consequences not only on the economy, but also on Guyana’s international image. The bottom line, undisputed, is that every single Guyanese will suffer in the end. This will include Opposition supporters as well”
One cannot assault their own country and then look for the electorate to vote them in to power. Their tactic is simply despicable. Political Strategy.org has this definition: Tactics are specific actions that you can take to debate, attack, defend or otherwise promote your agenda.They are the actions that support the construction of the policies that ultimately form the overall strategy or agenda of an organization. These tactics can be used at every level of political battles, from grassroots to campaign. Some are clever. Some are commonsense and some are downright despicable. Which ones you choose to use are up to you. One rule of thumb is to choose tactics based on your desire to appear as a “likable” person. Obviously they have failed to even come across likeable much less constructive.
We are once again at the cross road of our Midlife Crisis in Guyana. This is the period we should be focus on rapidly and radically moving our nation forward.
The private sector is on board, yet the opposition seems to be fighting them at every corner in order to destabilize our economy in some hope that it reflects badly on the PPP/C. It will not, as I have said many times. We have much more liberal and educated population whose daily drive is to improve their well-being, whether it is to own a car, creating a new business, getting a higher education, or owning a new home. They want Guyana to continue to grow, to be an emerging economy where we all benefit. The opposition has FAILED in moving our nation forward and will pay a harsher price at the next election.
The Honorable retired, BG Granger should make this statement shortly “I’ll be retiring and the party will have to schedule an election for a new leader.”
