It is a shame on the PPP that we have become far less than we could have been

 

I read the letter columns (December 9) and concluded that Prime Minister Hinds must be debating himself passionately, when he said that we need to debate differences in our positions and views. He and his government have locked out the rest of society from debate – from the state media and the National Assembly.

So, what debate is he talking about? Is it where he sits with himself and himself replicated in the others from one side, with one view and one aim – to destroy all else?

The Stalinists in his government are afraid of debates and open discussion, and use state and crony media to cowardly attack all who dissent, and threaten with impunity to destroy critics. The Prime Minister is silent on Mr Anil Nandlall’s “vituperative and vulgar” attacks on a section of the free press, but is somehow “shocked and pained” by Mr Freddie Kissoon for the odious remarks made by political kleptocrat Mr Ashni Singh whose unlawful spending of $4.5 billion triggered a no-confidence motion in parliament.

But Sam is Sam, and I will concede to his liberty to say: “Freddie is wrong and Ashni was right!”

Yesterday, we marked Human Rights Day. We do so under gloom that our democracy is threatened and we do not have legitimate governance.

Mr Hinds was part of our struggle for elementary human rights. I was doing so before him and, as a journalist, I am appalled at the destruction of free debate once again, and the closure of the people’s funded media to open discussion.

We can retrace our footsteps, and free up the media in a symbolic gesture that all that we fought for, all our sacrifices for freedom, to even be similar if not better than our colonialist and imperialist masters in human terms, have not gone down the drain.

It is a shame on the PPP that what we have become is far less than what we could have been and perhaps contrary to what we have dreamt.

 

Yours faithfully,

Moses Nagamootoo

 

 

http://www.stabroeknews.com/20...ppp-become-far-less/

AFC using Nagamootoo as “errand boy” – PPP/C

So the race card game is now in acceleration by the PPP.

 

TALLY HO Donoald.

A NEW DAY IS COMING

By Moses Nagamootoo A new day will dawn in Guyana once elections are held. The Alliance For Change is confident of a win, and ready

to head a new government. The AFC is now a clear choice to the old parties. We are leading in support from all corners of Guyana, from all races and classes; all ages, all genders. AFC is the fresh, vibrant, popular party. The AFC Government will represent all the people of Guyana, more especially our young people. Guyana needs decent and honest leadership. A quick end must be put to corruption and waste of public funds. Guyana does not deserve another minority, PPP term. No way! The AFC believes in better quality and efficient delivery of services to our people, in the education, health, housing and security sectors. But the important issue at hand is how to grow and expand the economy. We will secure the livelihood of our people on the Coast, with policies that address their needs. But we will cast our vision beyond the Coast, to the savannahs, the interior, where the beauty and the untapped resources lie. Our plans, our vision will bring jobs, security and stability. After the elections, we will partner with all patriotic forces. We will develop and continue workable, beneficial programmes, especially those that promote clean air, and a green economy. But we will review and re-assess those that are not viable or have failed, or would fail. The latter are the projects that were born in corruption. We will reinvigorate and change the national development agenda. We will focus on what will bring quick relief to the jobless and the working poor, and help the vulnerable. Our strategy will be guided by the revised and expanded party’s Action Plan, which is a work in progress. In addition, the AFC will incorporate the national development strategy and the poverty reduction strategy paper into a united, integrated approach to development goals and priorities. We have noted concerns, in the face of massive brain drain and general migration, about whether we have people who could run government agencies. We have a capable and highly motivated team to assume Government. We are also compiling a data bank of persons of quality, who are highly qualified, skilled and trained, to occupy leadership in all key areas of planning, development and administration.

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Our new government will pursue a comprehensive plan to create new and decent jobs and economic opportunities. We will change and improve our relationship with foreign investors, secure better terms and, together with our patriotic capitalists, we will place attention to:-. ·    Enterprises that create value-added goods and services. ·    Wood processing and furniture making, using our own logs, rather than exporting them. ·    Power supplies to manufacturing entities from co-generation and agro-energy mainly from the waste from sugar cane. ·    Ethanol production for an E-10 policy (10% ethanol in every gallon of petrol). ·    Train and upgrade cane cutters to operate machines at a better salary with better working conditions. Cut and load must end! ·    Equitable agrarian reform and distributing land for farming and animal husbandry. Put an end to land-grabbing by foreigners and allocation of best arable land to PPP cronies. ·    Direct export of rice/paddy by millers and work with world experts to create new rice products markets for packaged rice, rice cereals, rice cakes, rice noodles, instant rice, rice pasta etc.. These endeavours will create 3,000 new jobs in the rice sector. ·    Boost alcohol export of our world class rum to bigger markets. ·    Produce sugar-cane based bio-chemicals in cosmetics and detergents. ·    Produce bio-plastics using local resources.  . ·    Outfit all Primary and Secondary schools with fully functional computer laboratories with internet connectivity and train our children so that they can move from being only users of software to developers of software. ·    Encourage computer assembly plants in Guyana, to create in excess of 2,000 new jobs, and to expand role of information and other technologies for a new economy. ·    Train new apprentices at Regional Mechanical & Electrical Workshops, including facilities in Amerindian locations, to create hundreds of new jobs in the shortest time. ·    Work with lending agencies to provide apprentices with seed financing to develop new small business in areas such as auto and heavy duty repairs, welding, bodywork, electrical work, air conditioning, plumbing etc. ·    Put unemployed poor to work by creating Parks and Landscaping units to collect and re-cycle waste, upkeep existing parks and create new playgrounds for the children in our communities. ·    Establish a Fisheries Surveillance and Enforcement Coordination Committee to help the fishermen combat high sea piracy. ·    Boost fishmeal production for Livestock Industry, and make, designate and develop new areas for Livestock Development. ·    Put resources into agricultural tourism / eco-tourism around tropical farms. ·    Partner with off-shore energy prospectors to expedite new oil/gas industry. These are only a very few specific areas from our Plan that should give our people hope, that Guyana could move away from stagnation. The AFC Government will review all infrastructural, capital projects to ensure that these employ Guyanese skilled and unskilled labour, and are relevant to Guyana’s needs and stage of development. Moreover, we will keep a tight lid on our national debt which, at some G$380 billion, could become unsustainable, and could eat up monies that should go to the people.

IMMEDIATE RELIEF To bring immediate relief to our people and for job-security, the new government will:- ·    Reduce VAT. ·    Reduce personal income tax for workers earning below $100,000 monthly, and review corporate taxes. ·    Provide income tax allowance for every child. ·    Guarantee allowance to an affordable limit for safe delivery of baby other than in a state hospital. ·    Consider incentives for gold miners to sustain industry and ensure that the 90,000-plus workforce is protected. ·    Reduce toll for Berbice Bridge crossing for mini-buses & hire cars to $1,000 per crossing. ·    Re-professionalise the public service, and end starvation wages by making a 10% increase across the board and make subsequent wage adjustments subject of periodic, collective bargaining, and further increase income tax allowance. ·    Increase old age pension to a minimum of $15,000 per month. As regards our governance system, the AFC is committed to post-electoral coalition of the willing, and will work to:- ·    Hold Local Government Elections soonest. ·    Put on the national agenda comprehensive Constitutional reform to whittle away the tyranny of the Executive. ·    Establish the Public Procurement Commission, and constitute all other bodies that are mandated by the Constitution. AFC has a plan and, WE READY! Are you?

 

The AFC has accelerated the race card in order to salvage whatever is left of the AFC.

 

Too little too late. The AFC is dead.

POOR POOR PATHETIC YUGI. Here is a guy who has AFC on the brain as he eats, sleeps,shits...it's, ohhh the AFC, the guy is fixated with the AFC.

PPP leaders believe that Indo-Guyanese are that party's voting property. In this 21st century, the PPP must be told bluntly that it doesn't own East Indians.

As a national political party, the AFC reserves the right to campaign wherever it chooses to in Guyana.

Gone are the days of PPP "strongholds." That notion of strongholds is antiquated.

The AFC must fight to weaken the PPP stranglehold of the Indo-Guyanese community.

How can the PPP/C claim that it is democratically elected when they don't have the support of the races and less than 50% of the populace?

A NEW DAY IS COMING

By Moses Nagamootoo A new day will dawn in Guyana once elections are held. The Alliance For Change is confident of a win, and ready

to head a new government. The AFC is now a clear choice to the old parties. We are leading in support from all corners of Guyana, from all races and classes; all ages, all genders. AFC is the fresh, vibrant, popular party.

In dreamland.

How can the AFC be confident of a win when they don't have the support of more than half the voting population? They are not even trying to win votes from traditional APNU votes and even if they split the votes with the PPP, APNU will win. With the voting population so entrenched with the PPP & PNC, any new party including the AFC would have to contend with a less than 50% slice of the pie. The AFC had a golden opportunity to establish an identity of their own but they chose to align themselves with APNU. I don't see them doing as well next time. APNU is already talking like they have their votes in the bag and are counting on the AFC on grabbing more PPP votes. What APNU is missing is that many of those AFC voters may return to the PPP because the AFC did not live up to their voters' expectation of the 2011 elections.

Kishan you learned some thing to do.  You are a slave who belongs to the PPP.  You Mitwah, HM Redux, Kari, Chief, Gilbakka, Jalil and others BELONG to the PPP.

 

So the AFC can STEAL you from the PPP!

 

Yes the SAME PPP which says that it has multi ethnic support.  How come they don't accuse APNU of stealing African and mixed votes?

Aye don't include me in your racist drivel. 

Did you even read what I wrote?

 

Don't think so.  I would think that you would object to be treated like a slave, because that is how the PPP views you if they think that the AFC can steal you.

 

The fact that the PPP rants about Indians votes being stolen and not African votes does suggest what they think of you.

I think you ought to read more carefully what people write versus using your racist antennae instead of the peanut brain you've got there.

Conversely Aubrey Norton thinks the same thing.

 

"Political Commentator and PNCR Member, Aubrey Norton has been blunt about the AFC’s role as a party. Norton told a forum on Sunday that an APNU/AFC coalition was bad business, noting that if the opposition is to ever unseat the PPP/C, then the AFC must remain disconnected from APNU and work towards weakening the PPP/C’s support."

There are racists abound on all sides of the equation. 

Oh rass. You ah mek joke? Bai haas_man, me glad you accept that all abie gat sum kine ah race prablem.

The 2011 election had promises to fix some of the problems but the three sides couldn't find ways to take some and give some. 

I suggest that you follow your own advice.  If this is what you consider racism, that I am amused by the fact that the PPP thinks that they own you, then you really are out missing some where.

 

Don't be too amused you are a racist and vulgar cockroach.

Did he?

 

Norton said that if Hughes were to run and not Nagamootoo that APNU would be hurt as Hughes appeals to many blacks.  Not that Hughes will steal blacks from APNU.

 

The difference is that Norton acknowledges that blacks are free agents who will vote for those who they like. He acknowledges that it the onus will be on APNU to keep their support, and not blame the AFC if it targets its base.

 

Blacks will not vote PPP because they consider the PPP to be racist towards them and they have lived under the PPP for 22 years, so have indeed experienced this.

 

Indeed in 2011 if Hughes was involved in campaigning as vigorously in the early stages as Nagamootoo was in PPP strongholds the AFc would have held on to those black votes which they got in 2006, and built from there.  By the time Hughes became actively involved people had already decided who they were going to support.

Now one could have answered intelligently, but as with Nehru, ignorance is your forte.  Tell you what though.  At least Nehru hasn't been vulgar.

So what you are saying is, Norton thinks that if AFC was lead by Hughes, they would steal black votes from APNU. How is this different from what you classify as PPP seeing Indians as slaves for being stolen the same way? 

I see the subtleties of the English language escapes you.  Some one can only be "stolen" if they belong to some one else. 

 

Norton concedes that Hughes is very popular among blacks. That ALONE suggests that he knows that blacks like who they like and will vote like wise.  He isn't saying that Nigel is stealing votes from APNU.  He is thanking God that Hughes is NOT the presidential candidate or else the APNU would lose many votes from blacks.

 

He is saying that blacks have a FREE right to decide whether they would support a Granger led APNU or a Hughes led AFC

 

The PPP is saying that Nagamootoo is stealing Indian votes from them.  They are NOT conceding that Indians have a right to vote for a Ramotar led PPP or a Nagamootoo led AFC.

 

Indeed it is clear that the PNC is different from the PPP. Kissoon and Solomon openly and angrily confronted Granger and yet they still hold posts within the PNC.  No way that ANY ONE in the PPP when it was led by Jagdeo would DARE CONFRONT him that way, and still be allowed to operate within the PPP!

Wrong, Carib. The PPP doesn't own Gilbakka. Never did. And pre-1992 I always let them know I had a mind of my own. As I used to say, the Party was made for Man, not Man for the Party.

Well they certainly think that they do which is why they accuse the AFC is stealing you.  I mean if they didn't think that you were their property how could you be stolen?  Only property can be stolen. 

 

This was my point, but I guess sarcasm escapes some people here.

"Norton said that if Hughes were to run and not Nagamootoo that APNU would be hurt as Hughes appeals to many blacks.  Not that Hughes will steal blacks from APNU."

 

That's a whole lot of confusion.

 

The way I see it, if Hughes did run, he would appeal to blacks and he would have them come over to the AFC...this would occur whether you call it tiefin, borrowin or taking

I get your point, Carib. And I agree with you.

In the PPP's mindset, we Indos are their electoral-political property. We are nobody's chattel and eligible Indo voters in Guyana must affirm their independence by ignoring the PPP Cup on the ballot papers.

Its not tiefin, borrowing, or taking. Its INDIVIDUAL people selecting who they wish to lead Guyana.  No political party owns any one in Guyana.

 

And indeed, unlike the PPP, Norton didn't imply that APNU owns any one.   He credited Hughes" popularity.

bai the ppp have a strong hold in prodaville 

Good point Cainsta. Here is the challenge to the AFC. No doubt they are a new party. However, if they are truly transformational, they need to go out there and demonstrate it even as they continue to preach to all Guyanese that they are the party that will bring Guyana to the status of honesty, integrity and transparency. If they can demonstrate that to at least 51% of the voting population, they will be the next election winners and be able to embark on their ambitious endeavor.

Are all those who end up voting for the PPP not capable of affirming their independence

If Hughes is so popular with blacks, why aren't they inclined to vote for his AFC party. Is it because he is not the presidential candidate and they don't trust that the two more visible Indian AFC leaders are don't  have their best interest at heart? And if this is so, why is Hughes so popular with blacks when he is part of a party that currently don't have blacks' interest at heart?

Hughes will struggle to attract black votes because of his record on Amalie falls and also because he is seen as subservient to Ramjattan.

Ramjattan is not trying to win the hearts and minds of blacks and that is Hughes albatross.

I think that if the AFC wants to drive the discussion in parliament, they will need more than the PPP dissidents on their side. Doing so only replaces the PPP with the PNC and I don't think that is what the AFC wants. So who in the AFC is going to start the ball rolling to attract traditional PNC voters also? 

Agreed but Ramjattan is not interested in that.

When the AFC is willing to let so many people walk away from the party like Gerhard they have serious issues.

guyanese are not dumb they will not vote for that.

Then what are the AFC chances of graduating to a more influential role? They can't just be content with being the equalizer. That may stop things but eventually the need will arise to start things instead.

They will not graduate to anything unless Ramjattan is willing to build a party that embraces everyone and one that has a wider executive that can disagree with him.

It will not happen Ramjattan sees the AFC as his family picnic.

They will not grow beyond what they are today under the current construct.

If they do grow it will be marginal and if a new govt (PNC) takes office they are done.