Tone deaf! Politically tone deaf. Nationalistically tone deaf. Patriotically tone deaf. That is how the United Republican Party (URP) wishes to describe both the PPP and the PNC-Coalition. They would have to be tone deaf to the whaling cries of the Guyanese people in order for them to govern the way they do. They practice policies that have retarded this country for 50 years. How can the Granger administration set up the Cabinet in the Camp Ayangana compound and not expect the Opposition and the supporters of the current administration to say that they are a military government? After President Granger looked under every nook and cranny to find every aged, retired, military buddy of his, to do his bidding – commission of enquiries, state boards, consultancies, security etc. And after he placed his name (or allowed it to be placed) on all his pictures in the public domain as, ‘Brigadier David Granger’ (he is NOT the Brigadier any more) – he has now moved his cabinet to the headquarters of the Army! And he does not expect anyone to question his judgment. It just proves that both Mr. Granger and his advisors must be nationalistically and politically tone deaf. President Burnham did the same sorts of things. He (Burnham) used the Army to seize people’s flour and English potatoes and imported oil. He also used the Army to take away people’s bread and break up their bread stands. The Army was also used to succor the man accused of killing Walter Rodney and fly him out the country. One would have taught that as an astute Historian, President Granger would have strayed and stayed far away from all the nonsensical reflections of a vicious, autocratic, Burnhamite, era. One would have thought that after partnering with the AFC and their mostly PPP (Indian) supporters, commonsense would have pointed them away from any opportunity for the Jagdeo klan to develop “red-meat”. You would have taught that Granger – if only because he seemed so magnanimous at first – would have been willing to shun such buffoonery. One would have taught that winning by such a slight margin, the Coalition would have sought ways to garner additional supporters. But alas…! Doesn’t President Granger know that the word on the street is that his is an old, militarized, administration? Ask the likes of James Bond, or Lincoln Lewis or Sharma Solomon – all supporters of the Coalition – and they would tell you. But maybe the Administration is indeed too tone deaf to hear. Now, on top of that, they Administration is pushing a bill through Parliament to give Hamilton Green more money. These SAME people, who just fought the PSU and the TSU over salary increase: increases which they promised the young working class while in they were in the political wilderness (opposition). Now the Granger administration is pushing to give 80 year-old Hammi, more money. If this is not the epitome nationalistic and political tone deafness, what it? Of course they have to do this for Hammi because when they gave themselves that big multi-thousand dollars, retroactive salary increase, Hammi did not get his. Guyanese have been groomed by the two major political parties to think that they do not have options. The AFC came along and got some tacit support from the electorate. However, they have now joined and morphed into the PNC and the Guyanese people are the worse off for it. The United Republican Party is confident that if Guyana will ever move forward in any significant and meaningful way, the totalitarian powers of these two parties have to be reduced. For the sake of our Country and for the betterment of our children and grand children, we have to ensure that we do what it takes to never again allow any party to win majority control of the government. The Country has stagnated and when it is moving, it is moving in the wrong direction. Both the PPP and the PNC/Coalition are completely tone deaf to the needs of the citizens and particularly the working class of this Country. It is time we begin to speak with one voice. Maybe then they will hear us. The URP stands ready to help.