These two political parties – the PPP and the PNC – have mortally damaged the psyche of the Guyanese people. Just look at the fiasco that is ensuing in connection with the Red House issue. Imagine there are people on the side of the PNC that have turned out to oppose the vigil of the PPP. If this is not political, social cohesive and moral/commonsensical backwardness, what is? How can the Granger administration and President David Granger himself not understand how damaging to the psyche of any PPP follower, this regressive move will be? Can the PNC not realize that such a move does not make for peace? Does Mr. Granger not understand that he cannot continue to claim to be the champion of Social Cohesion and yet engage in this kind of divisive behavior?
It is obvious that this new administration has a multitude of square pegs in round holes and that they lack the vision needed to move this country forward. After two years, the Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ali, has been kicked out of her position. The United Republican Party (URP) has long argued that she was never the right fit. How can Minister Ali, the ‘Chief Whip’ of the PNC, be asked to serve as the minister charged with bridging the political and racial gap between the two parties and the country? Then we have Minister of Health Mr. George Norton. He was caught lying about millions of dollars he awarded to his buddy and was found guilty of insider trading, now he has been disgracefully maintained as a minister; even though he was unceremoniously removed from his esteemed position.
This administration, which continues to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to corruption, crony-ism and bully-ism, is taking this country down a regressive, oppressive, authoritarian path. The PNC’s old ways are quickly resurfacing. The URP is convinced that this is not what the Guyanese electorate voted for.
This latest Red House saga is the latest in a constant rollout of the dangerous enactments of this regime. Why are they so bent on enraging the Guyanese populace? These constant moves of the PNC-ites show utter disdain for the will of the citizenry of Guyana. From the unconscionable removal of the vendors, to the institution of the draconian parking meter, to the utter disrespect shown to the rice and sugar farmers, to the bait-and-switch of the young voters, to the 2017 budget (with its vat on water and light) this Granger-led Government seems to be on a collision course with common sense, logic and patriotism.
It is the unnecessary and untimely decision made concerning the Red House that we focus on today. It would have been to the benefit of all if some discussions were engaged in to amiably include the desires and intent of this government and the other stake holders. If the PNC has problems with how the Red House was being utilized, then that too could have been a part of the discussions. It does not take a rocket scientist to reveal that Guyana is morbidly racially and politically divided. This is so because of the very kinds of behavior now adopted by the PNC. One would think that knowing the history of Guyana (Mr. Granger himself a historian and the originator of the Social Cohesion Ministry) much thought and restraint would have been employed in such a delicate matter but alas, political bully-ism trumps Social Cohesion and historical correctness.
The URP remembers that when the increased tariffs were agreed upon for electricity in Linden, the Lindeners rejected the idea and even though Mr. Granger and the then Opposition had signed off on the increases, the PPP walked back the tariffs. Where is that spirit of cohesion? Where is that magnanimous leader that the Guyanese first envisioned in Mr. Granger?
The PNC-ites are now trying to conjure some sort of nonexistent drama as it relates to the former President Residence, turned Castellani House. Let the records reflect that there were no protests or substantial objection to the move of establishing an art gallery at that property on Vlissingen Road. Additionally, that building was never designated a research center, nor a historical building designated to the life of President Burnham. Such is not true about the Red House, for not only did Dr. Jagan live there but it was also designated a historical building and a research center in his honor and that should be respected.
The URP continues to be disappointed at the way in which the two political parties govern Guyana. The PPP and the PNC always manage to find ways to engender and highlight the worse racial fears of the Guyanese people. From the outlandish remarks of the PPP leaders to the autocratic positions of the leaders of the PNC, Guyana finds itself in a 50 year-old backward struggle, led by selfish, greedy, power-hungry politicians. The New Year has begun with a nasty political bug – one can only imagine how it will end.