…Ramjattan
As a punishment for disobeying the gods, the Greek king Tantalus was condemned by Zeus to stand eternally in a pool of water under a fruit-laden branch of a tree. “Some punishment!” you exclaim, dear reader?? Well, as soon as Tantalus tried to get a drink, the water receded, and when he reached for a fruit, it eluded his grasp! And now you’ll understand the meaning (and the agony) of being “tantalised”!!
You’ll also better appreciate the mental state of Khemraj Ramjattan, leader of the AFC – the party which insists he should be Granger’s running mate, and be named Prime Minister should the PNC/AFC coalition win the next elections. Now, you may also say that’s a pipe dream, since they stand less a chance of winning than a snowball has of surviving in hell. But then, being joined at the hip with them for the last five years, the AFC might have the inside scoop about the PNC’s plans for rigging!!
But what else could Granger be doing to Ramjattan than tantalising him when he just swore in the latter to act as Prime Minister, after Nagamootoo jetted off for some R&R before his boozing during the coming Christmas season?! He knew very well that Ramjattan had been lusting for the position ever since he saw the sybaritic lifestyle enjoyed by PM Nagamootoo since 2015 – which could continue till ‘the end of never’ with the massive pension he’d be receiving.
And what made it worse is that it was through his (Ramjattan’s) invitation that Nagamootoo had entered the AFC, after he (Ramjattan) had done all the heavy lifting to hitch up with Granger. Ramjattan therefore didn’t think it unreasonable that, in the coming elections, Nagamootoo – being now in his dotage – would step aside for him.
But Nagamootoo, being Nagamootoo (his name means “snake”!), had other ideas: he’d been assiduously ingratiating himself with Granger as the latter’s doormat. Ramjattan had become livid at Nagamootoo’s treachery, and had arranged (rigged?!), at the last AFC Conference, their endorsement of him as their nominee for the PM’s slot during the renegotiation of their Cummingsburg Accord. But, as we know, Granger pulled the rug out from under both Ramjattan and Nagamootoo when he insisted that he’d be violating the Constitution to have others pre-select the PM candidate!! It was HIS prerogative!!
This was quite rich for a man who’s been wiping his feet on the Constitution since Dec 21, 2018!! But he had his eye on fresh meat!!
But Granger has obviously picked up that streak of meanness that his idol Burnham was noted for: he’s giving Ramjattan a taste of what could’ve been!! But the liquor will always be receding and the cutters always eluding his grasp!! Ouch!!
…and baiting
Granger isn’t just tantalising Ramjattan: no, he has bigger fish to fry. Having called the AFC’s bluff at the last LGE and seen them exposed in all their nakedness – they couldn’t even win a single constituency!! – he knows the AFC needs the PNC waaaay more than the PNC needs them!! So he’s also baiting the AFC to make their demands – which the entire PNC had always been convinced was outrageous – and then dare them to leave.
He also knows that more than half of the urban members of the AFC’s Executive – with Trotman of Nassau’s fame leading – will cleave to the PNC in any showdown. Why else do you think he’s been invoking Charrandas at the drop of a hat? He’s reminding that constituency that Ramjattan’s of the same ilk as the “Judas” Charrandas. Why should they go down with a rotten rope??
The only need Granger has of the AFC is to show the world he has “multiracial” credentials. And Nagamootoo will provide this even if he’s just made dogcatcher!!
…oil
The PNC just got their wish: Hess Corporation, part of the Exxon combie – just announced we’ll be having first oil for Christmas!!
The PNC’s gonna dangle “oil revenues” in front of the electorate before the elections.
Never mind it’ll always be outside ordinary folks’ grasp!!
