AGES ago, ever since the goodly Saint from the mighty Roman Empire named Valentine laid down his life in support of marriage, naturally genuine ones, love became more than a big thing.It was the denial of this natural human habit that gave popularity to the story which has survived until now, albeit with many versions, and in the foreseeable future is unlikely to get stale.
Today, the tale of Saint Valentine enjoys legendary status as there is a day dedicated in remembrance of him, Valentine’s Day. In countries where the occasion is not a holiday, it is still celebrated with great flair and enthusiasm, and in essence, it is a celebration of courtship.
Today, as in February 14, many young and not so young couples will make and renew their vows, pledging to stay with each other forever, together, singing to each other, dancing, exchanging gifts and having long conversations.

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

A long and good conversation is healthy for the ‘soul’; it helps in understanding each other and for those searching for love, it can be useful in finding a soul mate.
And this is exactly what the two parliamentary political parties in Opposition, the APNU and AFC, would be hoping for during their timeframe of four weeks of romancing or courtship, with the hope of forging a marriage without honeymoon and divorcing the PPP from the electorate.
What this writer finds a bit strange is the parties involved in the courtship. One cannot help but wonder whether they are serious in the first place.
We all know that the AFC is headed by Khemraj Ramjattan and APNU by David Granger. One is a Lawyer and the other is an old Soldier man, none of them cut no quarters but both want a union to teach the PPP a lesson.
And they are both optimistic, but according to AFC talkman, Moses Nagamotoo, this is an understatement as the courtship has been off the hook and he is “super optimistic” that the marriage of the AFC and APNU will fructify.
Knowing the man and given all that was said before on who wants to lead who, one cannot help but be more spellbound than decisive in believing the utterances by the sleek AFC Executive.
What most people know is that during the flirting which led to the courting, Granger wanted to widen his coalition and was singing to Khemraj Ramjattan and his merry band ‘Backstreet Boys’, “I don’t care who you are, where you’re from, what you do, as long as you love me.”
And of course, Ramjattan and company were singing back but to understand what they were singing, you had to listen to Nagamootoo, as you know the courtship between the AFC and APNU is a tight secret.
But this guy Nagamootoo, since he was a journalist and later Information Minister, he never really learn to shout his mouth. He claimed that the AFC met with several supporters and all of them give their thumbs up for the AFC to wine and dine with APNU as they believe that they can together remove the PPP from power. And he is ‘super happy’ with the response he reportedly got.
From what was said by Nagamootoo, observers can reasonably conclude that one of the songs that Ramjattan and company were singing back to Granger includes this Savage Garden’s line, “I will take you to the moon and back, if you be, if you be, my babe!”
Since this courtship is such a guarded secret, even continuing late into last night behind closed doors, this writer will put some trust in Nagamootoo even though he once claimed that Dr Jagan confided in him alone during a blackout that he should replace him as President when he dies.
At least Nagamootoo is not as outlandish as the Macgyver, who came from America to replace Dr Jagan because he thought the President was too old.
The man really believed that he could have jump-started a truck with cactus.
He formulated something he called ‘Ethnic Security Dilemma’ to draw Indian support and somehow managed to outsmart a handful. That wasn’t enough for the ‘Roarer’, who was horse, but thirsty in pursuing a pipe dream. It was when he jumped on the PNC platform, he disappeared in oblivion.
Today, the man who named himself Roar, after recognising that he was engaging in nothing else but silly shouting, is now apologetic to the PPP which he had once bad-mouthed.
But Nagamootoo seems unapologetic and unworried about the lesson of Roar’s empty uproar. It seems true that a man who is hell bent will do anything to achieve his objectives.
His pronouncements are not too surprising. If one is to take Nagamotoo seriously, it can only be reasonable to assume that Ramjattan is preparing to give Granger a rose today since, according to him, the APNU-AFC courtship thus far has been ‘super fabulous’ and ‘super great’ even though many think it is really supercilious.

BY STAFF WRITER

extracted from the Guyana Chronicle