Dear Editor,
The PNC is in a bad place right now. Following its failed attempt to rig the 2020 elections in full view of a watching world, the two top candidates running for Party Leader were leaders of the extreme wing claiming dead people flew to Guyana and voted and sneaked back out, and they have immigration records to prove it.
They refer to the democratically elected PPP as an “installed Government”, so that makes them the “installed Opposition.” These leaders have put themselves in a self-imposed locked box which keeps them on the looney side. Political leaders would have zero credibility when they say such stupid stuff to their followers, thinking everybody would believe such nonsense.
What was worse was the West Berbice incitement of rioting, burning, looting, and pulling out people of Indian descent out of vehicles and brutalising them. And the PNC leaders did not condemn that, neither did the PPP Government make sure all the perpetrators were charged, although an abundance of video footage exists to identify the perpetrators.
How will the Government side explain that? You would not find anyone who is not a usual PNC supporter who would say the PNC has a chance of getting back in power. The PNC was a dictatorship for 28 years, lost elections to the PPP for 23 years, then got in with crossover votes in 2015, and proved once and for all that it never transformed itself or repudiated Burnhamism. It’s in its DNA to be crooked. It shattered the trust of those crossover voters, and it got booted by the PPP in 2020. After the harrowing, draining five months of the failed rigging, people say, “Never again, PNC!”
The rigging was the PNC’s iceberg, and its ship is sinking, so fighting to be the PNC Leader now is like fighting to see who would be the captain of the Titanic after it hit the iceberg. It does not matter, the ship is going down, the PNC has no redeeming value; the only thing the PNC has going for it is its “nuisance” value. It is still able to bring out miscreants to do street action; is prone to encourage and condone violence; and its New York agitators encourage from afar to “burn the place down.” (That should win more crossover votes!).
Dr Tara Singh has asked an excellent question in a letter, “Would the New PNCR Leader bring his party closer to State power?” As it is, the answer is no. We want the PNC to be a responsible respected Opposition, with honesty, integrity and decency. Respect the Government. Act with decorum as if you are role models. (Minister Ramson was right!).
Dispense with the bully behaviours, and hold the PPP accountable. That’s why you won 31 seats, and we expect you to do your job in Parliament. Ask many questions about where is the PPP’s 5-10-year Development Plan. Ask many questions about oil and gas, and all those big projects. That’s where corruption happens. Sponsor a bill asking Government to renegotiate the oil and other natural resource contracts that give away our wealth to foreigners. Critique their policies and offer alternative policies. Don’t be quick to jump on the race bandwagon when the issue does not have a race demon in it.
Do you think that stirring up racial agitation wins support from any potential crossover voters? My answer to Dr. Tara is the PNC Leader can bring his party closer to State Power if he apologises to the nation for his party giving away the poor people’s oil resources, and joins the bandwagon for renegotiation of the oil and all natural resources’ contracts. This single action is the highest priority for all Guyana if we want to get more income to drag us out of our persistent poverty.
I believe Mr. Norton is smart enough to understand that renegotiation of the oil and natural resources’ contracts is the only salvation for Guyana, especially the working class, and its own supporters.
Until the PNC side catches some sense, and until they find new, decent, credible leaders, let’s enjoy the circus!
Sincerely,
Dr Jerry Jailall
